


A Prelude to Chaos Control

by AndTails



Category: Sonic X, Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brotherhood, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Comfort/Angst, Epic Battles, Fluff and Angst, Gambling, Gen, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Infiltration, Injury, Injury Recovery, Mad Science, Major Character Injury, Rescue Attempt, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, prison break - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 115,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24412495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndTails/pseuds/AndTails
Summary: "It's my fault the Chaos Emeralds were lost, so it's my duty to find them before Eggman does!" An immediate prequel to Sonic X, this story explores Tails' struggles with self-worth as he attempts to build a detector to locate the mystical gems. Action/adventure elements with brotherly moments between Sonic and Tails contained herein.
Relationships: Amy Rose & Cream the Rabbit, Amy Rose & Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose & Rouge the Bat, Amy Rose & Sonic the Hedgehog, Amy Rose/Sonic the Hedgehog, Bokkun | Messenger Robo & Cream the Rabbit, Bokkun | Messenger Robo & Miles "Tails" Prower, Bokkun | Messenger Robo/Cream the Rabbit, Cream the Rabbit & Knuckles the Echidna, Cream the Rabbit & Miles "Tails" Prower, Cream the Rabbit & Sonic the Hedgehog, Cream the Rabbit & Vanilla the Rabbit, Knuckles the Echidna & Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna & Rouge the Bat, Knuckles the Echidna & Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower & Rouge the Bat, Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat & Sonic the Hedgehog, Vanilla the Rabbit & Amy Rose
Comments: 10
Kudos: 54





	1. A Brighter Day

Waking up a few minutes before his alarm clock was set to go off, a young, orange fox rose out of bed, stretching his thin, furry arms. After a few brief yawns, muffled by his large white gloves, he firmly planted his feet to the floor as he began to collect his bearings.

Rubbing the remaining sleep from his eyes, the fox cub approached the window dividing his modest bedroom from the gorgeous view from the second floor of his home, drew the curtains, and slowly opened the window. While the rejuvenating sunlight warmed his fur, and the brisk breeze replaced the stagnant aroma of his bedroom with the refreshing smell of the outdoors, Tails looked out over the world beyond. As he slowly filled his lungs with the outdoor air, he listened to the sound of flickys chirping in the distant forest to the east and the shallow waves of the ocean waters to the west, steadily crashing against the mountainside.

“Today is going to be a good day,” Tails said as he placed his hands on his hips in determination. 

After making his early morning prediction of the day’s events, and stealing one final stretch, Tails stepped out of his bedroom into the narrow hallway leading to the staircase.

“Wonder if Sonic’s still asleep,” he pondered to himself as he crept his way across the second floor stretch, walking past his big brother’s bedroom in the process. Twitching his triangular ears in the direction of the occupied bedroom, Tails could only make out the consistent sound of light snoring coming from the blue hedgehog.

Walking a bit more briskly, but still light enough to prevent the bitter end of Sonic’s well-deserved slumber, Tails finally made it to the main floor of their home, comprised of a moderately-sized, sparsely-furnished living room and an open kitchen, complete with a small table wide enough to accommodate a gathering of four.

Stepping outside to begin his daily morning routines, Tails performed a visual survey of his property for any damage caused by the thunderstorm the prior evening. While Tails could be fearless when fighting Eggman’s array of mechs alongside his big bro, the young kitsune had a devastating fear of thunderstorms, a phobia that caused him to roll into a fetal position and bury his face into the fluffy protection of his twin tails. 

After walking along the perimeter of his yard, Tails was relieved to find that his home completely withstood the ravaging storm. Then again, why wouldn’t it have? Even a tornado would’ve failed to do a modicum of damage to the brilliantly engineered, albeit almost plain-looking homestead. In fact, if it weren’t for the large satellite sticking out from the top of the roof, the adjoining workshop that was at least twice the size of his living quarters, and the large runway strip that led right off of the cliff overlooking the ocean, most would consider the house nothing extraordinary.

But this was to the liking of Tails, a scientific and mechanical prodigy who prioritized utility over style and would rather prevent unwanted attention.

“That’s Sonic’s job, after all,” Tails said to himself, lost in a daydream while gazing upon the deep blue ocean, a sight that never ceased to bore the young fox. This was in stark contrast to his older brother, who was unable to swim and feared any body of water larger than a pitcher. Not as much as Tails’ overwhelming fear of lightning, but still enough to refuse Tails’ offer to provide him with basic swimming lessons. 

Tails made a quick stop to the mailbox before coming back inside, grabbing a freshly delivered letter. Sitting down at the kitchen table, he delicately opened the envelope to reveal a typed message on thick cardstock paper, complete with official-looking letterhead.

The letter read:

_Dear Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles “Tails” Prower,_

_On behalf of the Mobian Federation of States, I would like to commend your continued support in the collective struggle against Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik to keep the citizens of Mobius safe from his evil schemes._

_In recognition of your outstanding bravery and commitment to protecting the innocent, the President of the Mobian Federation of States has indefinitely extended your service contract and increased your compensation by 15 percent._

_May you stay in good health and continue the good fight._

_Sincerely,_

_General H.W. Pitliff_

“Outstanding bravery, huh?” Tails questioned to himself, putting the letter down and resting his head with both arms against the table. His muscles tensed as memories of being saved by his big bro filled his thoughts. Feelings of self-doubt and worthlessness followed suit, creeping back up from the recesses of his mind.

Tails was a master mechanic whose quick cognitive processing power had helped Sonic thwart Eggman’s dastardly deeds time and time again, but despite this, the prodigious fox was often overcome with anxiety, feeling he wasn’t living up to his big brother’s legacy and, worse yet, only serving as a liability on the battlefield, cowering with fear the instant the duo were separated in the heat of combat.

As far as he could tell, he’d always been like this; back in the day, Tails was constantly bullied for his twin tails, a rare genetic mutation that made him stand out amongst all other Mobians. Coupled with the lack of parents to provide a warm, comforting home, the abnormal kit roamed the lands until he first met Sonic, who’d later adopt him as his little brother. Just being around him washed away his loneliness and crippling self-doubt, but even living with the one whom he greatly admired hadn’t cured his emotional woes.

“Clearly this letter was intended for Sonic,” Tails said with a sigh, twirling the letter along the surface of the table with a finger.

“Intended for me?” came a voice from behind the young fox. Tails turned around to see Sonic, wide awake and emitting his ever-present positive aura.

“Heya Sonic,” Tails said, his sadness instantly replaced with joy upon his brother’s unexpected arrival to the kitchen, smiling wide enough to brighten anyone’s day. 

Before Tails could explain the good news, Sonic dashed over to the kitchen table and snatched up the expensive-looking paper. He gave a long whistle as he finished reading the letter.

“Let’s do something fun to celebrate!” Sonic exclaimed. “Anything you’d like to do, Tails?”

The young fox pondered potential ideas for a few moments, rubbing one set of fingers against his furry chin in thought.

“Well, I guess my idea of a good time vastly differs from yours!” Tails said, giggling to himself.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Sonic asked with no hint of seriousness in his voice. 

“Oh, nothing,” Tails replied. “I was just imagining you sitting quietly in a library reading a book.”

Both Sonic and Tails laughed at this ludicrous idea.

“Well,” Sonic said. “I’m sure we’ll think of something to do.”

“As long as we don’t break the bank, I’m up for almost anything,” Tails said, subtly reminding Sonic that they shouldn’t dent their savings account by partying. While the duo was not strapped for cash by any means, especially since they had just received a raise from their freelance government partnership, Tails was solely responsible for balancing the checkbook and ensuring that their household remained fiscally solvent, a duty that he took quite seriously.

“Of course,” Sonic agreed, as he began to playfully rustle Tails’ hair. “Now, how about we fuel up before our morning run?”

* * *

Some time later, after Sonic and Tails enjoyed a delectable three-course breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and toast, the brothers began their morning run preparations. Sonic, who had already gotten a few stretches in while Tails finished washing the dishes, dashed outside in anticipation of his favorite pastime. Meanwhile, Tails prepared more slowly, ensuring that he didn’t cramp-up after consuming more food than someone his size should be able to stomach.

“C’mon, Tails!” Sonic called from outside, as he performed his signature foot tap. “The day is wasting away.”

“Coming, Sonic!” Tails replied, hopping on one foot out the door as he slipped on his sneakers.

“Ya know,” Sonic began, chuckling at the sight of Tails hobbling out of the house. “You’d save so much time if you just wore your shoes everywhere like me.”

“Yeah, and get dirt everywhere,” Tails retorted, continuing a long-running debate between the two companions that pitted convenience against cleanliness.

Instead of prolonging this friendly spat, though, Sonic took his place at the edge of the yard, facing the direction of the wooded path to the east that served as the daily stomping grounds for the two brothers. Taking the hint, Tails quickly joined him.

In unison, Sonic and Tails gave their pre-race countdown.

“Three…two…one…go!”

And with that, they were off.

* * *

Making their way through the green planes on the outskirts of the Mystic Ruins, any passersby would likely only see parallel blue and orange blurs speed past them, with the former going slightly faster than the latter. While Tails could run at impressive speeds on-foot, there was absolutely no way the young kitsune could keep up with the “fastest thing alive” without using his trademarked twin tails as propellers.

“C’mon, Tails,” Sonic playfully taunted as he began running backwards for comedic effect. “You’re too slooo-oww!”

Aided by Sonic’s goading words of encouragement, Tails kicked it into high gear, spinning his Tails faster in order to prove his speedy brother wrong.

And he almost did.

Flustered by Tails’ rapid advancement, Sonic spun back around to continue their friendly racing competition.

“First one to that oak tree is a rotten egg-man!” Sonic declared, widening the narrow gap between the companions.

“You won’t win that easily,” Tails replied, ensuring that Sonic would have to work up a sweat if he were to beat him.

As Sonic was about to touch the oak tree, solidifying his continued winning streak, he heard a yelp from behind.

Tails had focused so much on rapidly spinning his tails that he didn’t see the incoming tree trunk that stood as the only obstacle between him and victory. Not having enough time to increase his altitude, Tails’ dangling feet collided with the trunk, causing him to lose his balance mid-flight and dive headfirst into the ground. Before impact, however, Tails took to his spherical shape, rolling down the remainder of the path towards the oak tree, only his namesakes distinguishable in an otherwise blurry orange ball.

Sonic watched in awe as his little brother quickly recovered from the fall by adapting his signature rolling technique. Unfortunately for the blue hedgehog, though, Tails was rapidly rolling towards him much faster than he anticipated. Without enough time to defend himself, or jump out of the way, Tails barreled right into Sonic’s chest, launching the hedgehog back-first into the oak tree.

After sliding to the ground, and shaking the imaginary flickys from his vision, Sonic looked down to see the young fox, resting on his lap, panting heavily, sweat soaking through his orange fur coat.

“Are you alright?” Sonic asked. He took no damage from Tails’ unintentional attack, but even if he did, his priority would always be the safety and protection of his little bro.

“Did I…” Tails struggled to speak between gasps for air. “Did I…win, Sonic?”

After a few moments of pause, Sonic replied, “Yes, Tails…Yes you did.”

“Hooray,” Tails said in a slow, quiet voice, hardly able to keep his eyes open from utter exhaustion.

“Good job, buddy…I’m proud of you,” Sonic said. Tails smiled brightly before dozing off to sleep in the comforting arms of his big bro. 

Sonic allowed himself to get comfortable, not wanting to disturb Tails’ peaceful slumber. Placing his arms behind his head, gazing up at the mid-morning sky, Sonic allowed his mind to wander.

_Tails needs this. He tries so hard to make me proud. Little does he know how much I already am._

Basking in the comfort of the cool breeze and the warm sun peeking through the tall oak’s wide branches, Sonic succumbed to sleep himself, allowing his arms to fall from behind his head and gently land beside Tails.

* * *

By the time Tails woke from his morning nap, the sun was already high in the sky, reflecting over the small lake just down the hill from the tree. Apart from a slight stiffness from lying in a semi-awkward position, the fox felt well-rested and in good spirits.

_I wonder where Sonic is._

Of course, Tails didn’t need to look far. Not seeing him within his peripheral vision, he tilted his head up to see his big brother sleeping soundly behind him, resting against the oak tree which now served as a permanent reminder that, with great perseverance, even he could overcome his obstacles.

In this case, it was _finally_ beating Sonic at his own game.

Careful not to disturb the heavy-eyed hedgehog, Tails slowly rose from his comfortable naptime position, planting his short legs firmly to the ground while brushing himself off with his gloved hands, even though he wasn’t dirty at all. Tails peered down at his older brother, still sound asleep after their thrilling race a short while ago.

_I suppose it’s time to wake up._

The orange kitsune looked around to see how best to disturb Sonic’s slumber. He didn’t need to look far, noticing a small branch a few feet away with a small green leaf attached to the far end. Chuckling to himself in anticipation, Tails grabbed the twig from the leafless end, got down to his knees, and slowly drew the branch closer to his sleeping friend. Tails was careful to ensure that the wood didn’t touch his face as he positioned the leaf below Sonic’s black nose.

The sensation of a flat, smooth surface rubbing against his nose slowly brought the sleeping hedgehog back into consciousness.

“Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle,” Tails said, as if talking to a baby, attempting to laugh his brother awake.

“Heh heh, cut it out!” Sonic said between bouts of laughter.

This, of course, only egged Tails on further, as he tickled Sonic’s sensitive nose more ferociously than before, causing the hedgehog to roll from side to side while laughing so loud as to disturb the birds roosting in the tree above. As Sonic stopped rocking and rolling below the big oak, he slowly tilted his head back, opening his mouth in preparation for a signature Sonic sneeze.

Tails was caught unawares, lost in his quest to continue tickling his older brother until he couldn’t take it anymore.

“AaaaCHOO!” Sonic sneezed, directly in Tails’ direction. Of course, while the force of the sneeze was small, the loud noise caused Tails to lose his footing and fall backwards. Almost by instinct, Tails rolled back into a ball before making impact with the ground, causing him to roll downhill.

By this point, Sonic resumed his raucous laughter, although not from tickling, but from his little bro’s comical clumsiness.

_Splash!_

Sonic stopped his laughter and immediately faced the nearby lake. At first, he only saw the patch of disturbed water, bubbles rising to the surface, but then an orange shape began bobbing up and down in the lake. Only the back of Tails’ head, his back, and his namesakes were visible as his seemingly lifeless body floated still in the deep blue water below.

“Tails!” Sonic exclaimed as he ran to save his little brother from drowning.

Sonic dove headfirst into the water mere feet from the lifeless fox. The blue hedgehog flapped his arms in the surprisingly deep waters for a few seconds before securely placing his hands on Tails’ shoulders, half-sunk below the water’s surface. It was at that moment the small kitsune’s propeller tails sprang to life, raising the fox above the water, leaving Sonic to fend for himself.

“Ho ho ho!” Tails bellowed, imitating the laugh of a certain evil mastermind while depicting a fake moustache with his finger. “It looks like I’ve finally got rid of that meddlesome hedgehog!”

Sonic, meanwhile, continued splashing about in the water, doing his best to keep his head from bobbing below the surface. After a few more laughs, Tails hovered close to the drowning hedgehog, extending an arm out to help his blue friend out of the lake. Sonic gladly accepted the assist, their hands locking together before Tails transported them both back to the safety of the oak tree.

Sonic laid flat on his back upon returning to dry land. Tails joined him, still laughing under his breath.

“I thought I was a goner for a second!” Sonic exclaimed, shifting his head to see his younger bro staring back.

“Yeah, but you should know that I’d _never_ let you drown,” Tails replied with a hint of humorous sarcasm.

As Sonic and Tails’ laughter slowly started to die out, the two companions stared up at the clouds, allowing enough sunlight to naturally dry their wet fur from their lakeside escapade.

“You know, Sonic,” Tails began, placing his arms behind his head in a fashion not unlike Sonic. “Don’t you wish that everyday could be like this?”

“What d’ya mean, little buddy?”

“You know…just the two of us hanging out and having fun. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more at peace.”

Sonic looked over at his younger brother once more, all but confirming Tails’ current emotional state as he stared at the sky, a smile on his face, not a care in the world. 

“Ya know, Tails,” Sonic replied as he stood up from the refreshingly warm grass and lowered an arm in Tails’ direction. “As long as we keep Eggman at bay, what is there to stop us from always having fun?”

Tails thought to himself as he allowed Sonic to pull him up from the ground. “I guess nothing, now that I think about it.”

“Then it’s settled,” Sonic said, pressing his fist against the palm of his other hand. “We won’t allow anyone to stand in the way of our adventures, and if they do, they’ll have to answer to us!”

“You said it!” Tails replied, flashing a thumbs up that was quickly met with Sonic’s own mere moments later.

“Now let’s say we get ourselves home,” Sonic said, pointing back in the direction of their abode. “It’s almost time for lunch.”

Tails nodded in agreement. “Maybe after lunch I can get back to working on my latest project.”

“What about our party plans?” Sonic asked, as they both started walking towards the direction of their shared abode.

“To be honest,” Tails replied, “spending a nice, quiet afternoon in my workshop is as much excitement as I’ll ever need.”

Sharing a few more laughs, the brotherly duo enjoyed a brisk walk back to their cozy, mountainside home.

* * *

Spacious by design, Tails’ workshop, directly connected to his shared home, was an absolute paradise for any professional mechanic. Spanning several yards in all directions, and equipped with two floors, the well-organized space was full of workbenches, high-tech computers, complex tools, storage cabinets several times taller than Tails himself, and a host of spare parts, components, wheels, gadgets, widgets, doodads, and other advanced contraptions beyond the comprehension of most.

The mid-afternoon sun poured through an open window on the east side of the facility as the young kitsune sat at his messiest workbench, tinkering with a handheld device with one hand while taking a large bite out of his half-eaten chilidog with the other.

A droplet of sweat rolled down Tails’ forehead as he focused on meticulously taking apart the contraption, a ritual that he had repeated several times that afternoon alone.

“Maybe if I recalibrate the sensors, I’ll be able to get a reading,” Tails theorized to himself as he continued unscrewing components with his specialized multitool, his head bent over multiple work lamps.

“So this is the project, huh?” Sonic said from behind Tails’ chair. Sonic didn’t enter the workshop particularly quietly, but Tails was so involved in his work that he didn’t notice his big brother’s approaching steps.

“Woah!” Tails exclaimed. The surprise caused him to stand up with a jolt, only to hit his head on one of the overhead lamps. Rubbing the new bump on his noggin, Tails accidentally swiped the device and several loose components off the desk with his wandering tails. Reacting quickly, Sonic snagged the device and a few components before they could fall to the ground. The remaining pieces scattered around Tails’ chair, flipped over after his fright.

“Gosh, buddy…are you okay?” Sonic asked. He set the items he saved down on the table in order to properly inspect Tails’ head.

“Yeah…I think so,” Tails replied, moving his hand out of the way to allow the hedgehog to feel through the fur for any damage.

“It looks swollen already,” Sonic said, identifying the cranial bump. He looked down at his fingers to find a small amount of blood from Tails’ wound. “I’ll go and fetch a bandage and some cream,” he said, allowing the young fox a glimpse of his lightly bloodstained glove.

Before he could respond, though, Sonic was already gone, leaving a blue afterimage in his wake, before quickly returning with the items he promised: a square-shaped, sticky bandage and a small tube of antibiotic ointment.

“Thank you, Sonic,” Tails said in a somber voice, looking up at his big bro with wide eyes while Sonic applied the cream to the bruise.

“I shouldn’t be thanked at all,” Sonic replied, as he affixed the bandage to the bump. “After all, it was because of me that you got hurt in the first place.”

“But it was due to my clumsiness that I got startled over something so trivial,” Tails argued, always preferring to find fault with himself over others, especially when compared to Sonic. At this point, Tails was sitting back on his chair, looking down at Sonic’s shoes as the hedgehog eyed the fox with concern.

“Well, I gotta make it up to you somehow,” Sonic replied.

Still looking at the floor, Tails noticed his components scattered all around him. Ignoring his big brother’s offer, Tails got up and began picking up the pieces. Before he could grab the third component, however, Sonic dashed around the desk, swooping-up the pieces as he went, and placing them back onto Tails’ workbench.

“Heh heh, thanks Sonic,” Tails said, smiling while placing an arm behind his head. Sonic simply replied with a thumbs up.

Tails looked back at the device, resting undamaged near the pile of components. Tails got to work organizing the parts into smaller piles on the desk, giving at least some breathing room for the device so that he could better work on deconstructing it later.

“Mind if I help too?” Sonic asked.

“Well,” Tails replied. “I suppose organizing these components isn’t too difficult, so we can separate them out together.” Sonic rolled another chair over from a different workbench a few feet away and placed it next to his fox companion. He sat down, and they both got to work.

After a few minutes of meticulous organization, Sonic broke the silence.

“So, what’s the device you’ve been working on?” Sonic asked, eyeing the contraption that he saved from colliding with the floor moments ago.

“Oh,” Tails replied, just realizing that he never actually explained the project to Sonic. He picked it up and showed it to him. Its circular shape was covered by a glass screen, a small button resting at the top. It almost resembled a pocket watch, albeit larger and more technological looking. 

“Well, you see, Eggman hasn’t caused any mayhem for a while, right?” Tails said, as he set the contraption down on the desk again. 

“Right,” Sonic replied. “But what does that have to do with your project?”

“I’m getting to that,” Tails replied with a patient smile. “I fear that the good doctor may be up to no good, possibly trying to collect the Chaos Emeralds after they were scattered during our last showdown.”

“Oh yeah,” Sonic replied, thinking back to the last time they battled the evil mastermind. He remembered fighting one of the doctor’s large mechs before using the power of the emeralds to transform himself into Super Sonic, granting him a temporary boost in power that allowed the glowing, yellow hedgehog to fly and deal greater damage for a limited time.

At this point, Tails stood up from his chair once again and began pacing, fingers scratching his chin as his eyes looked down in thought.

“The process of re-collecting the emeralds is incredibly tedious,” Tails continued. “But what if we could track them down easily using a detector?”

After a few moments of pondering, Sonic replied, “That sounds like a brilliant idea, Tails!”

“Thank you very much,” Tails said, performing a humorous bow with his right arm against his belly as if he just concluded a theatrical show in front of a live audience. “But there is one problem that I’m unable to figure out.”

“Oh?” Sonic replied, stunned that his little brother encountered a mechanical quandary that he couldn’t solve with ease.

“Yeah,” Tails replied. “The issue is that I can’t get the detector to register the presence of the unique energy that emanates from the emeralds.”

“Huh,” Sonic replied, scratching his head. “If it’s any consolation, I probably could’ve taken out Eggman’s mech without the emeralds, so I probably shouldn’t have used them.”

“It’s fine, Sonic,” Tails replied, remembering how the mech had held him captive, unable to break free from the giant machine’s heavy grasp. He began to breath heavily as the memory of Super Sonic cutting through the thick arm of the robot and teleporting him to safety made him feel worthless, the self-loathing invading his thoughts once more. “I was the reason why you resorted to using the Chaos Emeralds in the first place,” Tails continued, a few tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

Sonic, unable to see his brother in pain, extended his arms. “It’s okay, Tails.”

Wiping the tears from his blurred vision, Tails saw Sonic approaching him for a hug. As soon as he entered into his brother’s embrace, his heart rate slowed and breathing eased.

Still choked up while hugging the blue hedgehog, Tails began to speak again.

“I figured that a device to help us gather them back up would make things right.”

“I’m sure this will make things easier,” Sonic replied, rubbing Tails’ back, “but don’t think for a second that it was your fault.”

Sonic ended the embrace, still holding onto Tails’ shoulders. His young companion sniffled a bit, looked down at the floor once again.

“Now how about you take a break from work and I prepare us some ice cream sundaes?” Sonic offered. This caught Tails’ attention.

“But it’s only three in the afternoon!” Tails countered, concerned about spoiling dinner.

“Okay, mother,” Sonic replied in a teasing voice, eliciting a playful shoulder punch from the orange kitsune, whose spirits appeared back on the upswing.

“Tell ya what,” Sonic offered. “I’ll prepare our treats while you finish cleaning up down here. Sound good?”

“Yes it does,” Tails replied with a smile, his eyes still slightly red from crying.

As Sonic left for the kitchen, Tails’ smile began to fade.

He stared intently at the semi-organized piles of components remaining on his workbench. He felt a little better, but the guilt, shame, and sense of incompetence were still ever-present in his mind.

Tails sighed as he returned to his workstation, sitting back down to continue the organizing that he and Sonic started.

“I’ll try my absolute hardest to make things right,” Tails said out loud to himself. “For the safety of my friends, and to prevent Eggman from gaining absolute power, we must prevail.”

_I must prevail._


	2. The Great Emerald's Power

“Sure…is…cold in…here…” Sonic said to himself, shivering as the cool air from the freezer pierced his fur. Balancing on a step stool to reach the top level of his refrigerator, the blue hedgehog sifted through various frozen foodstuffs until he found a half-consumed tub of vanilla ice cream.

“There it is,” Sonic declared, grabbing the plastic handle and pulling the gallon container out from the freezer. Careful to maintain his balance, Sonic stepped down from the stool and placed the ice cream on the kitchen countertop.

“It’s colder than Ice Cap Zone in there,” Sonic said, rubbing his hands together to warm his body, his shivering beginning to cease.

Sonic raced around the kitchen, grabbing a variety of ingredients so he could put together the perfect ice cream sundaes for him and his little brother. After placing the ingredients near the tub, he proceeded to shovel large scoops of ice cream and drop them into the two bowls, totaling three helpings each. The hedgehog then microwaved a container of hot fudge and evenly poured the contents over the scoops. From there, he smothered the ice cream with whipped cream, sprinkles, and crushed peanuts.

“I almost forgot,” Sonic exclaimed as he went back to the cupboards to grab an unopened box of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate cookies. Recently purchased by the duo to benefit the youth scouting organization, he was surprised to find that the two-tailed fox hadn’t already gobbled-up the delectable morsels.

“He must’ve forgotten about them,” Sonic said to himself before quickly realizing the foolishness of this thought.

_Silly hedgehog…Tails would never misplace a minty treat!_

Not wanting the hot fudge to melt the ice cream too early, Sonic poured some of the cookies into a sealable plastic bag and crushed them with a rolling pin, breaking the cookies down into tiny pieces.

“That’s the way the cookie crumbles,” Sonic mused to himself, pouring the crumbs over the ice cream.

Finally, after adding a few cherries to the top of each sundae, and staking the scoops with cookie straws, the hedgehog took one final look at his delectable creations before placing the bowls on the coffee table in the living room and returning to the workshop to fetch his younger brother.

* * *

“That should do it,” Tails said to himself as he placed the last component in its final corresponding pile on his workbench. “Now I just gotta find a place to store everything.”

The young kitsune glanced over at the unfinished detector, the light from the mid-afternoon sun reflecting off its glass surface. Tails picked it up, staring at it while rubbing his head with his free hand, wracking his brain for ideas on how to get the detector to work. 

Sighing heavily, the discouraged fox slumped in his chair, allowing his arms to dangle freely as he stared up at the tall ceiling of his workshop.

“Hey Tails, the ice—" Sonic began to say as he came back from the kitchen, stopped short by the sight of the apathetic kitsune in front of him.

Knowing what he’d say next, Tails sat motionless for several seconds, looking away from the hedgehog as if in a daydream, before turning his head in his direction.

“Okay, Sonic,” he replied in a somber, emotionless tone before getting up and making his way to their living quarters, no spring in his step.

As they entered the house, Sonic ran to the couch, beckoning his brotherly companion to join him.

“I think you’re going to enjoy this!” the hedgehog said, waving an arm in his direction.

Tails sat down next to his older brother and looked down at the treat before catching a whiff of something utterly delightful.

“Is that…is that mint?” the orange kitsune asked, taking in a few deep breaths right above his bowl as the feelings of failure begun to dissipate, replaced only with the desire to consume his favorite dessert flavor.

“It sure is, pal,” Sonic replied. “Crushed-up Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate cookies, to be precise.”

Tails licked his lips in anticipation of the treat as he witnessed a flow of hot fudge dribbling down a hill of vanilla ice cream, taking bits of peanut and cookie crumbles down its stream. Using a cookie straw as a spoon, Tails took a bite of the sundae, ensuring that it contained a diverse mix of ingredients.

“It’s so good!” Tails exclaimed, before munching on the cookie straw and grabbing a metal spoon from the coffee table, ready to dig into the rest of the dessert.

“Glad ya like it,” Sonic replied, pleased to see him enjoying his confectionary creation.

Grabbing his own bowl with one hand, and the television remote with another, Sonic began flipping through channels while taking a few bites of his own cold treat.

“Anything you wanna watch?” Sonic asked, looking over at the orange kitsune, hot fudge dripping from his lips.

“Not really,” Tails replied, distracted by the sundae that remained half-eaten in his lap. “Nothing too scary, though.”

“You got it,” Sonic said, searching for something that the brothers could enjoy together.

“How about this?” Sonic asked, pointing the controller at the television. Tails winced at the sound of gunshots bellowing out of the television set, exchanged between a group of bank robbers and the police officers attempting to stop them.

“A bit too violent,” Tails replied, setting down his empty bowl on the coffee table, scooting closer to his brotherly companion.

“Alright,” Sonic said as he continued changing programs. “How about this one?”

Tails looked on to see a group of 20-somethings crowded in a large apartment, having conversations about their relationships, artificial laugh tracks regularly interrupting the dialogue.

“Too cheesy,” Tails replied, yawning into a gloved hand.

Finally, in a last-ditch effort, Sonic found a channel that he was sure would be to Tails’ liking.

Sonic nudged Tails’ shoulder, at this point leaning against his own, as he pointed towards the television. It was a nature documentary featuring a narrator with a rhythmic, slow voice describing, in detail, the mysterious origins of flickys and how their evolutionary track diverged from their avian brethren.

“Sure,” Tails said in a tranquil voice, leaning further against his big brother while shutting his eyes. Sonic set the remote down and settled in for a documentary that he’d likely find boring. 

Sonic looked down at the orange fox, cuddled peacefully against him, his tails covering his chest like a blanket.

_Sure has been sleepin’ a lot lately._

Sonic took a closer look at the sleeping kitsune, noticing that his face was still stained with hot fudge. To remedy this, he reached for a tissue and gently wiped below his lips, not wanting him to wake.

Crumpling the used tissue into a ball and throwing it toward the coffee table, the blue hedgehog sighed, drowning out the television as he lost himself in thought. 

_If only I knew what was going on in that big ol’ head of his, maybe I’d do a better job of helping him feel better. Ice cream sundaes won’t work every time._

Itching below his nose, Sonic peered over at the distant wall, observing the clock near the kitchen.

_4 PM, huh?_

Not necessarily accustomed to sleeping this much in a day, Sonic allowed himself to nap, his little brother still snuggling against him. 

* * *

The sun gave way to the glow of the halfmoon in the sky, pouring its dim light through the dark living room housing the sleeping orange fox and blue hedgehog. Sonic was in a sitting position, arms resting against the back of his head as he snoozed, when a physical force against his belly woke him up.

“Owwooo,” Sonic yelped, placing a hand on his lightly bruised belly. After realizing that no harm was done, he looked to his left to find the source of the attack: his kitsune companion rustling in his sleep. After falling asleep against his shoulder, he shifted to his back some point after Sonic began snoozing. The blue hedgehog looked on as his little brother continued raising his knees for small kicks in his direction while flailing his arms.

“H..Help me, Sonic,” Tails said, although not to Sonic himself. The hedgehog scratched his head before coming to the realization that Tails was having a bad dream.

“S..sa…save me, please,” Tails begged, choking up as his arms and legs continued moving around as if controlled by a puppet. Sweat rolled down his fur, and a pained expression appeared on his face.

Getting out of harm’s way, Sonic got up from the sofa and dropped to his knees next to his little brother. He gently placed his gloved hand on the kitsune’s head, rubbing his fur back and forth gently enough to prevent the fox from waking up.

“It’ll be okay,” Sonic said, hoping that his voice would reach Tails’ subconsciousness. “I’m here now.”

As if by magic, Tails’ limbs ceased moving, and his face relaxed. His breathing was no longer labored, instead returning to a slow, consistent pace.

“Th..thank you, Sonic,” Tails said in his dream, presumably having been saved by the blue blur himself from whatever was tormenting him in his nightmare.

“No problem, buddy,” Sonic said, padding the excess sweat from Tails’ forehead with a small towel from the coffee table.

After drying off his little brother, Sonic covered him with a blanket, tucking his body in to ensure that he stayed warm and comfortable.

“Sleep tight, little bro,” Sonic said, smiling at the knowledge that, even in his sleep, he can help him feel better.

Not wanting to be too far away from Tails in case his bad dream returned, Sonic crept to the closet to find a blue sleeping bag, generally only used on long expeditions but perfect for an impromptu sleeping solution in emergencies such as these. The hedgehog unfurled the bag on the floor facing the sofa, got in, and zipped himself shut. After a brief yawn and a final stretch of his arms and legs, Sonic fell back asleep.

* * *

Surrounded by Eggman’s army of robots in a wide, metallic corridor, Tails reached for his utility belt to find that his supply of ring bombs had been depleted.

“Damn it,” Tails said to himself, looking around once more to find Eggman’s minions approaching him from all sides, stepping over shards of their own fallen comrades previously destroyed by Tails’ arsenal of bombs and physical attacks.

The orange fox, whose only option now was to make a strategic retreat, decided to use his twin namesakes to propel himself out of harm’s way. Before he could begin rotating his tails, however, he felt a cool hand grab both from behind, pulling the fox backwards. 

“Ahhh!” Tails cried as he fell to the cold floor, the army of robots now mere feet away from the cornered fox. 

Realizing that there was no longer any way out, he covered his face with his arms and screamed, “Help me, Sonic!” His voice echoed across the room, ricocheting against the metallic walls, echoing back into his sensitive ears.

But Sonic wasn’t there to save him. Not this time.

The robots surrounding the orange kitsune targeted him with their front-mounted machine guns as the robot nearest Tails pulled him up by the neck and raised him in the air.

“Put…me…down,” Tails struggled to say, gasping for breath as the robot tightened its hold on his neck. Tails flailed his arms and legs around, attempting to escape the robot’s wrath before he suffocated from the lack of air. 

“S..save me…please,” Tails yelled, now attempting to pry himself out of the robot’s metallic grasp with his hands.

_So this is how it ends, huh? After all the years battling Eggman, I’m going to die at his hands._

_All alone._

_Worthless._

_That’s all I really am._

_That’s all I really was._

Tails closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable, when he heard exploding robots in the distance, the whooshing of a blue blur pulverizing the mechanical slaves at a rapid pace. 

By the time he opened his eyes, all the robots were already destroyed, save for the one still holding him above the ground. Finally, this machine met its own demise, destroyed in the same manner as its metallic colleagues, sending Tails careening to the ground. Before Tails collided with the floor, however, Sonic, with outstretched arms, caught the terrified fox and dashed away from what was now a robot graveyard.

Bracing for impact just a few seconds prior, Tails loosened the muscles in his face and slowly opened his eyes to reveal the blue hedgehog running swiftly, determined to get the two out of harm’s way.

“Th…thank you, Sonic,” Tails said in a raspy voice, still recovering from the excruciating chokehold.

The blue hedgehog simply gave his trademark wink and said, “No problem, buddy.”

The orange kitsune could hardly keep his eyes open as his blue savior jumped out of an open window, landed gently on the cement surrounding Eggman’s base, and ran away, traveling toward what appeared to be a large void of white.

“Sleep tight, little bro,” Sonic said, clutching Tails in his arms, helping him feel safe and secure. 

But then he found himself lying on the ground, all alone in the white void, no presence of Sonic anywhere.

“Where am I?” Tails asked himself, as he lifted himself up and attempted to find any landmarks that could provide a clue of his location.

There was nothing but white.

“Well,” Tails began to say to himself, stretching his arms. “I’m sure Sonic couldn’t have gotten far. Maybe if I wait here, he’ll find m—”

His monologuing was interrupted by the sound of beeping coming from his utility belt. Reaching into the belt, he was surprised to find one of its pockets full, the same compartment he found empty when cornered back at Eggman’s base. After fishing around a bit more, he retrieved the object responsible for making the artificial noise.

“My Chaos Emerald detector?” Tails asked himself in wonder, his pupils dilating in surprise. “What are you doing here, and…are you _detecting_ something?”

As if answering his question, the glass screen surrounding the circular device began displaying two blinking dots: one in the center and another a short distance ahead. The central dot represented the location of the device, whereas the other dot was…

“…a Chaos Emerald?”

Astonished that his device was working, and eager to verify the contraption was tracing the Chaos Emeralds’ unique energy signature, the orange kitsune began sprinting forward. After gaining enough speed, he switched to his twin-tail propellers, going as fast as he would when racing against Sonic the Hedgehog himself.

After a minute of flying, a large structure became visible in Tails’ line of vision. He continued racing forward as the object grew larger, and when he was but a few yards from his destination, he stopped to catch his breath and analyze what he found.

“The Master Emerald shrine?” Tails asked himself, scratching his chin as he wondered why the device brought him to the large gem that gave power to the smaller Chaos Emeralds that he was truly after. As if responding to his question, the detector began to beep more loudly than before, beckoning the orange kitsune to climb the stone steps to greet the Master Emerald in-person.

Taking the hint, Tails traversed up the shrine, wondering why the Master Emerald wasn’t being guarded by Knuckles the Echidna, the sole protector of the priceless gem.

“And if the Master Emerald is here,” Tails asked himself, “wouldn’t that mean Angel Island fell to the ocean?” He was, of course, referring to the fact that the Master Emerald kept the floating island from falling to Mobius. But he saw no ocean. No island either, for that matter. Only the shrine in the forefront of an empty void.

The kitsune reached the top of the stairs. He stared at the large green emerald that awaited him before stepping forward, keeping the detector in one hand as its beeping grew louder by the second.

As if acting by instinct, Tails reached out with his other gloved paw and placed his palm against the emerald, its warmth radiating up his arm, across his torso, and down his legs, providing the fox with a renewed sense of vigor.

Putting the device back in his pocket, Tails placed his free paw on the gem, feeling the energy coursing from the emerald continue to bridge over to the young kitsune. His heartrate intensified as he looked down at his furry body, glowing with an orange hue unlike anything he’d ever seen before. Indeed, the great emerald’s power allowed him to feel a sense of hope and fulfillment, emotions that had been dormant as of late.

Finally, as he was about to let go of the Master Emerald, he heard a young woman’s voice permeate his thoughts.

_The controller serves to unify the chaos._

“Huh?” Tails asked himself, looking around for the source of the voice. Before he could look further, however, the emerald began to glow various shades of green before disappearing into nothingness.

“Wait a second!” Tails yelled, jumping headfirst towards the vanishing emerald. Instead of catching the mystical gem, however, he found himself falling belly-first down an endless white void, the shrine having disappeared along with the Master Emerald. 

“Ahhhhh!” Tails yelled, as the fall appeared never ending, his rotary namesakes unwilling, or unable, to save their owner from certain death.

Staring downwards into white emptiness for several more moments, Tails finally noticed the appearance of solid ground below. A few seconds later, he was able to make out a bed of sharp spikes waiting below to turn him into a freshly skewered fox. Bracing for impact, the kitsune covered his face with his arms.

* * *

He didn’t feel any painful spikes dismembering his body. Instead, he only felt the warmth of a blanket covering his legs, arms, and torso, tucked in to ensure that he’d stay warm and comfortable. He slowly opened his eyes, surprised that the white void was replaced with a dark living room, the sound of steady breathing coming from the floor below.

Tails rolled onto his side to get a better peak at the noise, peering down at his hedgehog companion soundly sleeping in his blue sleeping bag, only exposing his face and quills from the open end of the zipped-up blanket. Looking back down at his own tucked-in blanket, and the empty ice cream sundae bowls on the nearby coffee table, the orange fox’s eyes welled-up, thinking about his best friend’s kindness and generosity as a smile filled his face.

“Thank you, Sonic,” Tails whispered to himself. “For everything.”

Before he had the opportunity to lie back on the couch, however, the young kitsune began to feel a radiating sensation in his lower abdomen similar to what he experienced when interacting with the Master Emerald in his dream. Taking a few moments to comprehend what was going on, he placed an arm behind his head, lightly blushing in embarrassment, as he realized that he needed to use the restroom.

After making his unscheduled pitstop, Tails crept silently back to the couch to resume his sleep, only to find Sonic sitting on the sofa waiting for him.

“Ohh, hiya Sonic,” Tails said, pleasantly surprised to find him awake to greet him.

“How are you feelin’, bro?” Sonic asked.

“Well,” Tails said, looking behind him in the direction of the restroom he just vacated. “I feel a bit better now!” The two companions chuckled in unison at the fox’s literal toilet humor.

“Hey Sonic?” Tails said, his heart beginning to race once more.

Before Sonic could respond, though, the fox ran into his arms and gave him a hug.

“Thank you.”

The blue hedgehog, taken off guard by the sudden display of affection, regained his bearings and returned the hug, rubbing Tails’ back as he did in the workshop that afternoon.

“You treat me just like family, even though I always mess things up,” Tails said, looking down at Sonic’s sneakers and his own bare feet.

“I’m so lucky to have you as a friend,” Tails continued, moisture from his tears beginning to dampen Sonic’s furry chest.

“Hey,” Sonic replied. “That’s what best buds are for, right?”

“Mhmmm,” Tails said, his voice muffled in their shared embrace. 

The young kitsune was the one to end their hug, choosing now to sit on the sofa.

“Do you wanna hear about my dream?” Tails asked, drying the moisture around his eyes with his hands.

“Sure,” Sonic replied, taking a seat next to the orange fox.

“Well, you see,” Tails began. “The first thing I remembered was getting cornered in one of Eggman’s mechanical fortresses. A robot took me by the neck, lifting me yea high,” he described, standing on the couch and raising his arm up in close approximation to the height the robot took him.

“But then,” Tails continued, “You showed up.”

“I bet I mopped the floor with those mechanical thugs,” Sonic exclaimed, punching the open air as if fending off robots in real life.

“You sure did,” Tails replied, a smile on his face, as he dropped back down to the couch.

“But then,” he continued, looking up at the ceiling while rubbing his chin. “You took me away to a white void, and you disappeared. I was left all alone.” Tails’ voice became somber as his eyes peered down at his feet, dangling off the sofa cushion, too short to reach the floor.

“That’s how you knew it was a dream, right?” Sonic asked. “Because I would never abandon you like that in real life.”

“I know, Sonic,” Tails replied, a small smile returning to his face as he looked back at the blue hedgehog. “That isn’t even the craziest part.”

Tails proceeded to complete the story, telling his hedgehog companion how his detector led him to the Master Emerald, how the mystical gem filled him with immense energy, about the woman’s voice who spoke a mysterious hymn, and how he fell into a pit of death.

Performing a long whistle, Sonic said, “That sure is one weird dream!”

“It felt so real, too,” Tails replied.

Sitting in silence for a few moments, Tails stood back up, this time on the floor, and turned to Sonic.

“This may be a longshot,” he began. “But what if it was a sign?”

“What d’ya mean, buddy?” Sonic asked, not used to his little brother speaking in riddles.

“Well, I’m not quite sure,” Tails replied, placing an arm behind his back in embarrassment before he looked sternly at the blue hedgehog, allowing his arm to drop back down. “But I almost felt like the Master Emerald was…calling for me.”

Sonic looked at the determined fox in bemusement, unsure of how to respond to his theory.

“I say we stop by Angel Island and run this by Knuckles,” Tails proposed. “Maybe I can even bring some equipment, try studying the Master Emerald to see if it could help get the detector to work.”

_The controller serves to unify the chaos._

“That hymn,” Tails said to himself, as it played back in his mind, pondering its meaning as he placed a hand on his chin.

“Either way,” Sonic replied, standing up and giving the orange fox a thumbs up. “We can see what Knuckles thinks.”

“You mean it, Sonic?” Tails asked, happy to see that the blue hedgehog appeared on board with the plan.

“Of course,” Sonic replied. “After all, I’ve been wanting to stop by Knucklehead’s island for a while now. No time like the present!”

“Then let’s go,” Tails said, rushing to put his sneakers on near the front door.

“Hold on a sec,” Sonic said, sticking his arms out, motioning Tails to stop. “You do know what time it is, right?”

“Huh?” Tails replied, with one sneaker on one foot and the other in his hands. Sonic pointed to the clock behind him across the living room.

“10:30 at night,” Tails said to himself. “I guess I lost track of time.”

After sharing a few laughs, Tails said, “I feel wide awake, though.”

“Well yeah,” Sonic replied. “Between our nap at the oak tree and your rest just now, it’s no wonder why you’re so awake!”

“I suppose I messed up our sleep routine, huh,” Tails asked, sticking an arm behind his head once again.

“No sweat,” Sonic replied. “We can just wake up for our morning run extra early tomorrow.”

Tails slipped off his shoe, placed them neatly back by the door, and proceeded up the stairs to his bedroom.

“G’night, Sonic,” Tails said as he walked past the blue hedgehog.

“Sleep tight,” Sonic replied, collecting the sundae bowls to wash before heading off to bed himself.

As Tails slipped into bed, pulling his comforter over his chest, he stared at the ceiling, reflecting on his prior dream.

“Even if it was just a dream,” Tails said, rolling onto his side. “I’m just happy we finally have a plan.”

Tails turned off his bedside lamp, turned on his alarm clock, and closed his eyes, excited to visit Angel Island and, with some luck, finally find some answers. 


	3. Watch Me Fly

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

Tails reached over to his bedside table to turn off his alarm clock before ducking his head under the comforter to hide from the sunlight peeking through the curtains.

_Just a few more minutes..._

An hour later, the orange fox was fast asleep, seemingly forgoing his goal of waking up early to fix his sleep routine and head to Angel Island to investigate the Master Emerald.

Meanwhile, Sonic was just getting up himself, performing his morning stretches before heading down to the kitchen for a light breakfast, a far cry from the early morning feast they enjoyed yesterday.

“Morning Ta—" Sonic began to say, waving an arm to greet the young kitsune whom he expected to be waiting for him. “That’s strange,” he said to himself, looking around the immaculate kitchen, scratching his head in confusion. “He’s usually up earlier than me.”

Figuring that he was preparing for the trip, the hedgehog went to Tails’ workshop only to find it abandoned, the pile of components and the Chaos Emerald detector still sitting at the workbench undisturbed from the prior afternoon.

“He couldn’t still be sleeping, could he?” Sonic asked himself as he returned to the main living quarters and walked up the stairs.

Sure enough, he found his little brother’s bedroom door closed. Sonic pressed an ear against the door, hearing only the sound of light breathing coming from the room. He opened the door to see his younger brother fully submerged under the blanket. He sat down on the edge of the bed, the fox still soundly asleep.

“Mornin’ Tails.” The comforter rustled as Tails’ triangular ears twitched beneath it.

Tails wrapped himself tighter in his blanket, not acknowledging his older brother’s greeting. When Sonic drew the curtains, he heard an audible groan from the two-tailed fox, who repositioned himself in bed, covering his already buried head with a pillow.

“C’mon, Tails,” Sonic insisted, as he nudged his little brother. “We’re gonna head to Knuckles’ place, remember?”

“Five more minutes,” Tails replied in a monotone voice, muffled by his pillow and blanket.

“Well,” Sonic said, crossing his arms and tapping his foot, impatience growing in his voice. “Okay then, but I’ll be back if you’re not up soon.” The blue hedgehog exited the bedroom and returned to the kitchen.

“Why am I so tired?” Tails asked himself as he threw the comforter to the side and got out of bed. “I got so much sleep yesterday.”

Making his way to the kitchen, Tails rubbed his eyes as he took his seat at the table, a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice waiting for him.

“Eat up, little buddy,” Sonic insisted, patting him on the shoulder. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us.” He continued eating his own cereal while reading the newspaper, skimming the headlines for anything exciting or remotely Eggman-related.

Meanwhile, Tails began to eat slowly, still exhausted.

“Is everything okay?” Sonic asked, glancing at the tired kitsune from above the newspaper.

“Yeah,” Tails replied after taking a sip of juice. “Just couldn’t sleep is all.”

Sonic stared at his orange friend in concern, noticing the baggy rings around his eyes.

“It was that dream, wasn’t it?”

Tails looked up at his older brother and nodded.

“We could always go later, ya know,” Sonic offered, setting his newspaper down and bringing his empty cereal bowl to the sink.

“We shouldn’t delay,” Tails replied, looking up at the hedgehog, determination gleaming through his tired face. “The longer we wait, the more time Eggman has to plot his next move.”

“Right,” Sonic replied, walking toward the counter on the other side of the kitchen. “Maybe this’ll help.” He turned on a rarely used coffee machine and began preparing a hot beverage for the young kitsune.

“Sonic, you know I don’t like coffee, right?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go ahead and add some sugar for ya.” As the scent of freshly-ground coffee filled the kitchen, the blue hedgehog found the sugar container in the pantry.

“I suppose I’ll try it.” Tails finished his bowl of cereal before stacking his dish over Sonic’s in the sink. As he returned to the table, a fresh cup o’ joe was waiting for him.

“Now don’t burn yourself,” Sonic warned, placing his arms on his hips. “You don’t wanna have to deal with a burnt tongue all day, after all!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tails replied, brushing off his older brother’s advice. He took a sip and immediately set the coffee cup down, blowing air out of his burnt mouth.

“See! What did I tell ya?”

Tails ignored Sonic’s comment as he stuck his tongue out and waved his hand in front of it. He took a few more sips after blowing over the hot beverage, creating small black waves in his cup.

“This is actually pretty good,” Tails said, a smile forming on his face. “That is, if you ignore the taste of burnt flesh.” The brothers laughed in unison as they began planning their day.

“Hey Sonic, I think I’ll skip our jog this morning. I’ll go and prepare for departure while you exercise.”

“Nah,” Sonic replied, looking down at the orange fox. “I could go for a rest day every now and then, and besides, I’d rather help you pack.”

“ _Sure_ ,” Tails replied, waving his hand toward the blue hedgehog, sarcasm palpable in his voice.

“What, I meant it! It’s our adventure, after all, so why should you get stuck with all the packing?”

“Thanks, Sonic,” Tails replied, his sarcasm overtaken with sincerity.

“No sweat, buddy.” Sonic gave his little brother a thumbs up while Tails stood up from the kitchen table, the coffee cup drained of its contents.

Leaving the dirty dishes in the sink, the duo headed to the workshop. Tails and Sonic collected the supplies, which included a toolbox, various wires, a laptop, and a utility belt, generally worn by the orange fox during long escapades.

Fastening the belt around his waist, Tails froze, analyzing their pile of gear.

“I almost forgot!” Tails exclaimed, running back to their living quarters, leaving Sonic behind. Returning only a few moments later, Tails brandished a half-eaten box of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate chip cookies.

“For an afternoon snack,” Tails explained, throwing the box into the pile.

Chuckling under his breath, Sonic placed everything in a large duffle bag while the young kitsune went back to his workstation, grabbing his Chaos Emerald detector. He looked at the device intently, allowing the mid-morning sun to reflect off its blank, glass screen. He pressed the button at the top of the device, but nothing happened.

“As to be expected,” Tails said, looking down at his shoes, allowing his arms to drop. Sonic, hearing his little brother’s gloom reaction, patted him on the shoulder.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to get it working in no time.”

“Yeah,” Tails replied, smiling back at the blue hedgehog. “I’m sure you’re right.”

With that, Sonic grabbed the bag, and they headed for a small set of stairs in the corner of the workshop. Tails led the way, turning on the light to the lower level as his older brother hoisted the heavy bag in his arms.

“It’s like you’re taking the entire workshop with us,” Sonic said between heavy breaths, struggling to carry the duffle bag.

“Sorry, Sonic,” Tails replied, placing a hand behind his head. “But at least you won’t have it lug it any further.” The orange fox placed his hand on his signature biplane: the Tornado 2, a blue aircraft with two sets of wings, complete with yellow and red trim, Sonic’s name plastered on its side in white, and images of his twin namesakes painted on both sets of wings.

While Tails kept himself busy over the years with various projects in his workshop, none gave him greater joy than building and maintaining the Tornado 2. The sense of fulfillment and accomplishment from improving his plane always filled him with a sense of purpose, as did the vital role he played in defeating Eggman’s mechs from the comfort of his aircraft, destroying the robotic minions with the armaments installed throughout.

As Sonic loaded the bag into the rear compartment of the Tornado 2, Tails stared at the smaller blue biplane, the original Tornado, sitting just a few feet away. Memories of his initial encounter with Sonic came back to him, how he followed the speedy hedgehog around until he found the plane vacated, Sonic nowhere to be found...

* * *

Having admired the retro aircraft, as well as its occupant, for some time, Tails figured he could be of great use to his role model by revamping the red biplane, seizing his chance at operating on such a fascinating machine and making improvements. At his speed, he even found time to apply a fresh coat of blue paint.

As he was finishing the final paint swipes to the upper body of the plane, standing on one of its wings, Tails heard a voice from below.

“Heya stranger,” the voice called. Startled by the sudden visitor, Tails lost his balance and banged his head against the wing as he fell to the ground below. Before he made contact, however, the blue hedgehog caught him in his arms.

Having closed his eyes and braced himself for impact, he slowly opened them when he realized that his fall was broken by a gentle force. He looked up to find the blue hedgehog staring down at him, a smile on his face. Tails returned the smile before rubbing the bump on his head.

“Oh, you’re hurt!” Sonic exclaimed, placing him on his feet to free his hands. “Here, let me take a look at that bruise.”

“Thanks, Sonic,” he replied, placing a hand behind his head.

“So, I suppose you could explain what you’re doin’ with my plane,” Sonic requested, as he finished inspecting the bump on Tails’ noggin, seeing no signs of serious damage.

“Well,” Tails replied nervously, hoping that he didn’t already ruin his first impression. “I’ve been following you around and got a glimpse of your plane, so I figured I’d make some improvements.”

“Oh yeah?” Sonic shifted his focus away from the orange kitsune’s head and toward his revamped biplane.

“Beyond regular maintenance, I increased the engine’s energy capacity by 30 percent and upgraded the thrusters. You’ll be able to go at least twice as fast, using less energy too!”

Sonic whistled in astonishment. “Not to mention the new paintjob! That was very kind of you, stranger.”

“Thanks, Sonic,” Tails replied, a glowing smile appearing on his face.

“So, you know my name,” Sonic said, rubbing his chin, “but I don’t know yours.”

“Oh, that’s right! My name is Miles Prower, but my friends just call me Tails.”

“Nice to meet ya, Tails,” Sonic said, raising his arm toward the fox for a handshake. Tails firmly clasped his hand in response. “Say, why were you following me around anyway?”

“Well,” Tails replied, looking away in embarrassment, “I just thought you were cool and…” His voice trailed off and lowered to a whisper.

“Hey, why don’t we sit down?” Sonic offered, placing his hand on the fox’s shoulder, hoping to help calm his nerves.

Sitting against a large boulder on the other side of the clearing, Tails looked up at the concerned hedgehog.

“Well,” Tails continued, playing with his gloved fingers as his face turned red. “I was thinkin’ that maybe you were looking for a friend, especially one who could maintain and pilot your plane.” The orange kitsune’s eyes turned away from Sonic, now facing his legs.

“Let’s see,” Sonic replied, placing a hand on his chin, looking up at the sky. “I suppose I could use a mechanic…and a friend.”

Tails looked up in bewilderment. “You really mean it?” He was surprised to find the person whom he idolized, the epitome of coolness, was willing to readily accept the friendship of a stranger, especially him.

“Of course!” Sonic gave his new pal a thumbs up as a warm smile formed on Tails’ face.

Before they could celebrate their new friendship, however, the duo heard a large explosion in the distance, followed by the bellowing, echoing laughter of an evil scientist.

“It’s Eggman again,” Sonic said, jumping to his feet to get a better view of the rising smoke, his face tensing up as his smile dissipated.

“You mean…the mastermind who roboticizes poor, innocent flickys?” Tails’ voice trembled at the thought of the world-renown malevolent mastermind causing destruction nearby.

“Exactly the one,” Sonic replied, placing a hand above his brow to shield his eyes from the sunlight. After getting a better view of the destruction, he turned to the young fox, who had since covered his entire head and torso with his twin namesakes for protection.

“I’m gonna go stop Eggman,” Sonic said, reaching an outstretched hand toward Tails. “Wanna help me save the day?”

The fearful fox poked his head out from behind his tails, staring up at the blue hedgehog, whose smile emanated bravery and determination, traits which infected those around him.

“You got it, Sonic.” The orange fox allowed his tails to drop to the ground as he clasped hold of Sonic’s hand. As his new friend pulled him up, the young kitsune was still shaking in fear, but he felt ready to confront Eggman all the same.

The two friends ran to the biplane, with Tails jumping into the cockpit while Sonic planted his feet on the leftmost wing.

“Whenever you’re ready!” Sonic yelled, pointing in the direction of the explosion.

“Here we go!” Tails replied as he started the plane. He guided the aircraft down the natural, beachside runway before gaining enough speed to take off, the plane leaving the ground while its wheels retracted.

And they were off, en route to their first battle against Dr. Eggman as a duo, thus forming a friendship so close that the blue hedgehog would eventually come to adopt the orange fox as his little brother.

* * *

“Yo, Mobius to Tails.” Sonic waved his hands in Tails’ face, attempting to get his attention. The young kitsune was daydreaming, staring blankly toward the retro plane as he balanced his head with his arms leaning against the Tornado 2.

“Huh?” Tails shook his head to refocus and bring himself back to the present day.

“You were daydreamin’ again, weren’t you?” Sonic asked, smiling at his younger brother.

“Yeah, I guess I was,” Tails replied, placing a hand behind his head as the two laughed.

“While you were chillin’ out,” Sonic said, climbing up to the cockpit of the Tornado 2, outfitted with a front and back seat, “I finished loading up the gear, so we’re ready to go!”

The blue hedgehog lowered his hand down to Tails, allowing him to grab hold and be pulled up. Positioning himself in the driver’s seat, Tails flipped some switches, turned some nobs, and pulled some levers, bringing the biplane to life.

The young fox pressed a separate button on the dashboard of his plane, opening a large door at the end of the runway that comprised most of the workshop’s lower level.

“Fasten your seatbelt,” Tails said, as he finished preparations for the journey ahead.

“Who needs seatbelts?” Sonic said with sarcasm in his voice.

Pushing another button on his control panel, two polyester straps sprung from either side of their seats to secure them in place.

“ _You_ do,” Tails replied, lobbing the sarcasm back at him as the plane rolled down the runway.

As the biplane passed through the large door, Tails continued driving the aircraft down the cement path, which ran to the edge of the mountainside, where the ocean lay below. Of course, for an expert pilot like Tails, they would never need to worry about crashing into the water. Nevertheless, as the plane took to the air, leaving the landing strip behind, Sonic shivered as he peered down at the waves below.

“Everything will be fine, Sonic,” Tails said, with empathy in his voice. “We won’t crash, and even if we did, I always keep emergency life vests in the Tornado 2.”

Looking forward at the reassuring fox, seamlessly maneuvering the biplane up to a higher altitude, all Sonic could do was smile.

_You’ve grown so much since we first met._

Juxtaposing the Tails he knew from yesteryear with the determined kitsune in the cockpit before him, Sonic took some time to reflect.

_You may still be full of self-doubt, but you really shine when you’re in your element._

Sonic continued smiling as he reclined the backseat of the plane, looking up at the blue sky above, a much more welcoming sight that the perilous ocean below. The blue hedgehog placed his hands behind his head and rested his eyes.

Tails smiled as he peered at the napping hedgehog through the rearview mirror before returning his gaze to the sky above, wanting to fly high, as if to reach the highest of all the heavens. He pulled back the yoke as he raised the altitude of the biplane, flying through transparent clouds. As the excitement from the incline dissipated, Tails steadied the plane so it would maintain a consistent altitude and grabbed a corded speakerphone from the dashboard.

“Good afternoon passengers, this is your captain speaking,” Tails said in a monotone voice. “We are currently 6,000 feet above sea level and…uhhhh…traveling at a speed of 80 miles per hour.”

Sonic, who was not entirely asleep just yet, chuckled under his breath.

“We’ll be arriving to Angel Island International Airport in approximately…uhhhh…55 minutes,” Tails continued, emulating the calm, boring messages given by commercial airplane pilots to their passengers. “Please enjoy the remainder of the flight provided by Miles Prower Airlines. Our flight attendants will be available to take your order of chili dogs and soda momentarily.”

Sonic chuckled louder, finding Tails’ impersonations hilarious.

“You crack me up sometimes, ya know that?”

“Hehe,” Tails giggled, setting the phone back down on the control panel and returning his complete focus on flying to their destination.

* * *

Contrary to Tails’ claim shortly after takeoff, Angel Island did _not_ have its own airport, though it did have a long enough stretch of treeless land for the orange kitsune to safely land the Tornado 2.

“Hey Sonic,” Tails said in quiet voice, wanting to ease his older brother comfortably out of sleep. “We’re here.”

The blue hedgehog slowly opened his eyes to find Tails gazing back at him through the mirror. After rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and stretching his arms as much as he could in the enclosed safety of the cockpit, he peeked over Tails’ seat, looking at the floating island beyond.

“Alright, open the hatch!” Sonic exclaimed, removing his seatbelt in anticipation for his jump.

Tails did as he was told, pressing a large button on his dashboard that retracted the glass cover protecting the plane’s occupants from the elements. Sonic stood up from his seat and hopped towards the left-most wing, keeping his balance by bending his legs. The blue hedgehog observed the island below him, the biplane steadily descending as it made its way to ground.

“Now’s about time,” Sonic said to himself, placing one hand on the wing as if lining up for a running race. Instead of jumping off the plane right away, though, he charged his signature spin dash and rolled off the wing fast enough to prevent an untimely collision with the plane from behind.

Tails witnessed Sonic’s launch from the plane, speeding forward at breakneck speed before arcing toward the ground below, still maintaining his spherical form. The orange fox could make out the blue figure as he landed on the grassy runway, rolling down its entire length before using his legs to jump out of his ball, perform a few front flips, and gracefully land on his feet. Turning around, the hedgehog looked up at the biplane, waving at its kitsune pilot.

“Phew.”

Wiping away sweat from his forehead, Tails focused the rest of his attention back to landing the plane safely. Even though he had seen his big brother pull this stunt countless times before, he always became anxious when he performed such a reckless act, afraid that he’d miscalculate the trajectory of his fall and injure himself in the landing. Thankfully, the acrobatic hedgehog had never injured himself in this way, at least to Tails’ knowledge, so the paranoia was not based on a prior experience but, rather, a desire for his big brother to remain safe.

Tails was able to land his plane meticulously, despite the lack of cement pavement below, allowing the aircraft to roll to a steady stop. He jumped out of the plane, using his namesakes to propel him to the ground, and remotely locked the cockpit with the wireless keys stored safely in his utility belt.

“Ya know no one’s gonna steal your plane out here, right?” Sonic playfully asked.

“Yeah, I know,” Tails replied, itching his furry muzzle. “Just playing it safe is all.”

“I suppose...ya never know when Knuckles might decide to go on a little joyride,” Sonic said, the brothers sharing a laugh.

“Me, drive _that_ hunk of junk?” said a voice coming from the wooded path leading away from the natural airstrip. Sonic and Tails turned around to find Knuckles the Echidna, the last remaining member of the Knuckles tribe, caretaker of Angel Island, and guardian of the Master Emerald. “Well if it isn’t my ol’ pals Sonic and Tails.”

“How’s it crackin’, Knucklehead?” Sonic asked.

“You know, the usual,” Knuckles replied nonchalantly, crossing his red arms. Looking towards the biplane, Knuckles redirected his attention to the orange fox.

“The Tornado 2 is looking better than ever,” he said, having joked about the plane moments earlier.

“Well, you know,” Tails responded, chuckling with embarrassment. “Proper maintenance is the key to longevity, after all.”

“So what brings you two around?” Knuckles asked.

“It’s a bit of a long story,” Tails replied. “Hey Sonic, should we get the supplies out of the plane before we tell Knuckles why we’re here?”

“Sure thing, buddy.” Sonic gave him a thumbs up as they headed to the aircraft. Tails opened the rear compartment, allowing Sonic to grab the large bag. They headed back to Knuckles and made the short walk to the Master Emerald, describing Tails’ dream and their objective during their hike along the wooded, grassy trail. Knuckles nodded his head during the entire conversation, soaking in all the brotherly duo had to say.

“Even if my dream wasn’t a vision,” Tails concluded. “We’re hoping that by studying the Master Emerald, I’ll make some progress on my Chaos Emerald detector.”

Stepping through tall grass, Knuckles raised a gloved hand to his chin, reflecting on Tails’ story.

“The controller serves to unify the chaos,” Knuckles said out loud, looking up at the blue sky in thought. “Where have I heard that before?”

“Sounds familiar to you, Knuckles?” Sonic asked, the three friends walking side-by-side along the path.

“It does, but I just can’t put my finger on it.”

Passing through leafy foliage, Knuckles lifted the thick branches obstructing the path’s exit to reveal a clearing.

“You’re more than welcome to study the Master Emerald, though,” Knuckles continued, welcoming them to his land as they stepped out of the forest.

The freshly cut grass that lay before the trio sprawled several hundred yards, the Master Emerald shrine resting on the opposite corner near the mountainside, a waterfall glistening in the backdrop. A small cabin could also be seen near the Master Emerald.

“Since when did _you_ build a house, Knucklehead?” Sonic asked.

“What, you think I should sleep outside all day?” Knuckles replied, placing his hands on his hips.

“It’s not like that, Knuckles. It’s just that you’re inseparable from that giant rock. Even being away from the shrine for a few hours makes you antsy.”

“That may be true, but I can still afford to sleep indoors when the weather is bad, and having running water and refrigeration is surprisingly convenient!”

Sonic and Tails snickered at Knuckles’ naïveté as they approached the shrine, now merely feet away.

“We’re here,” Knuckles announced, walking up the stairs as he beckoned his friends to follow.

Sonic tagged along, but Tails paused, fishing through his utility belt for the Chaos Emerald detector before heading up the stone shrine himself. Lifting his legs slowly each step, Tails vividly recalled the dream that felt so real to him the prior night, and how the stone stairs’ imperfections and signs of wear seemed identical to what he remembered from his dream.

Focusing his attention away from the steps, he intently stared at the empty glass screen of his device, holding a finger above the power button, nervous to try the detector. When Tails arrived at the top of the shrine, he walked past Sonic and Knuckles and planted his feet inches away from the large emerald.

“No time like the present,” Tails said, quoting his older brother as he clicked the power button. The screen remained empty. Expecting this to be the case, the orange kitsune stored the defective device back in his pocket and placed both of his palms on the mysterious gem.

“Hey, you know I just polished that—” Knuckles began to say, only to be stopped by Sonic, who placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, hinting to the red echidna that Tails needed some uninterrupted time with the Master Emerald.

Tails only felt a slight warm sensation from the glossy gemstone, a far cry from the energy that pulsated from the Master Emerald and radiated through his body during his dream the prior evening.

“Figures,” Tails said to himself as his downcast face dropped to his feet, allowing his hands to slip off the emerald and dangle on either side of his body.

“Hey Tails, I think I may know what’ll cheer you up,” Knuckles said, reaching in his dreadlocks to procure a green Chaos Emerald.

“Woah, Knuckles,” Tails began as he walked toward the red echidna, staring at what appeared to be a downsized replica model of the Master Emerald. “Where’d you find it?”

“Ohh, it was easy enough,” Knuckles replied, itching his nose with his free hand. “After Sonic used the Chaos Emeralds during his last showdown with Dr. Eggman, all seven of ‘em scattered around the globe. I was guarding the Master Emerald at the time, and I noticed this baby soar right over Angel Island.” He paused to look up at the sky, tracing an arcing path with a gloved hand. “From there, it was just a simple matter of following the trail. Thankfully, the emerald didn’t land far from the island, and I glided most of the way down anyway.”

While the red echidna lacked Sonic’s speed and Tails’ intellect and flying abilities, Knuckles had two traits going for him: an uncanny level of strength that allowed him to break the toughest boulders with his spiked fists and the ability to glide from a tall height, allowing him to travel great distances with little effort.

“That’s so cool,” Tails replied, genuinely excited about his friend’s good fortune, almost forgetting about his own problems.

“Here.” Knuckles brought the Chaos Emerald closer to the orange fox. “You take it. Hopefully this’ll help you fix your detector doohickey.”

Tails stared at the glowing green emerald in awe as Knuckles placed it in his right paw. The kitsune raised it a bit closer to his face, transfixed by the beauty of the mystical stone. As with the Master Emerald, Tails didn’t feel a strong surge of energy radiating from the gem, but the slight warmth that the emerald gave out, coupled with the light green glow caused by its close proximity to the Master Emerald, as well as a pinch of placebo, gave the young fox a renewed sense of hope.

“Thank you, Knuckles,” Tails said, looking back up at the red echidna, determination in his eyes. “I promise this gift won’t go to waste.”

“Hey, who said you could _keep_ it?” Sonic and Tails laughed at Knuckles’ defensive response, with the red echidna joining in shortly after. “Consider it a loan to help with your research.”

“I’ll make good use of it.” The orange fox raised his fist in determination.

“Hey Knux,” Sonic said, setting the duffle bag down by the Master Emerald and turning to face the echidna. “Let’s say we go spar for a bit while we leave Tails to his work?”

“Oh, I’m game.” Knuckles pressed his fist against the palm of his other hand, signaling his enthusiasm to the blue hedgehog.

“Let us know if you need any help,” Sonic said to the young fox, waving from behind as the friendly rivals ran down the stone steps of the shrine to hone their combat skills in the clearing below.

“Will do,” Tails replied, waving back as he watched the two throw their first punches from the safety of the shrine before turning his attention back to his defective detector, pulling it out of his pocket once again.

Clicking the power button, the device failed to track the Chaos Emerald in his other hand, another expected outcome.

“Well,” Tails said, as he cracked his knuckles and unzipped the duffle bag, pouring its contents to the ground.

“Time to get started.”

* * *

“Wooahhooohoohooo.”

The bellowing laughter of Dr. Ivo Robotnik, colloquially known as Eggman, could be heard echoing through his secret base, various computers, monitors, and hi-tech gadgets surrounding the perimeter of the spacious corridor in which he stood. He continued laughing while stroking his long, orange mustache, a color that matched surprisingly well with the bright red jacket covering his portly figure.

“This is my most dastardly deed, yet!” Eggman announced, speaking to his robotic henchmen, Decoe and Bocoe.

Both serving as personal servants to the evil doctor, the machines were humanoid in shape and programmed with their own artificial intelligence. Decoe was a bit taller and thinner, his metallic body a dull yellow hue, whereas Bocoe was shorter, wider in stature, and gray in color. Both were busy working on a large circular, tubular machine that stood in the center of the room, seven emerald-shaped slots strewn across its control panel.

“Eggman is really working us to the bone,” Decoe said to his brother, wiping away non-existent sweat from his metallic brow.

“If I don’t get a break soon, my body will begin breaking down,” Bocoe replied in agreement, dropping his wrench and standing up for a stretch break. “If this keeps up, I’ll need to call my union rep!”

“Quiet, you numbskulls!” Eggman yelled, wondering why he ever gave the two robots distinct personalities. Decoe and Bocoe, knowing what may happen to them if they continued ignoring their master, turned quickly to his direction and stood at attention.

“Very good.” Eggman leaned back in his chair as he spun it around, staring into a computer monitor while typing away. “Now, as I was saying, this is my most dastardly deed yet!”

“I have to admit,” Decoe said to his robotic companion, Eggman lost in a sea of bellowing laughter, “while all of Eggman’s plans fail miserably, this one may actually have a fighting chance.”

“I agree,” Bocoe replied. “The hardest part will be to gather all seven Chaos Emeralds to power this thing.”

“And that is _exactly_ what I plan on doing,” Eggman interrupted, standing up from his chair and walking past his servants to face the large machine at the center of the room. “Once I have all of the Chaos Emeralds, I will be unstoppable!” 

“Psst,” Bocoe whispered to his counterpart as Eggman continued his maniacal laughter. “Is this the part where Eggman outlines the plan that we already know?”

“And now for my plan!” Eggman exclaimed, as if on cue.

“Seems that way,” Decoe replied, making his voice even more monotone than usual, unafraid to hide his apathy.

“When I have all of the emeralds, all I’ll need to do is feed them to my energy amplifier, and I’ll have unlimited power!”

Decoe and Bocoe sat on the floor, at least thankful to have a break of sorts.

“Each individual Chaos Emerald possesses untold levels of power,” the doctor continued, rolling out an old fashion chalkboard with seven crudely drawn gems in its center, emphasizing his child-like drawings with a pointing stick. “Their energy climbs exponentially when brought together, but when coupled with my eggzzellent energy amplifier, I will have enough power to finally dispose of that meddlesome hedgehog and establish the Eggman Empire.” He grabbed a stick of chalk and began viciously crossing out a picture of Sonic standing next to a drawing of the amplifier below the emeralds.

After clapping his hands together to remove the chalk dust from his gloves, a cloud of the white powder forming in front of him, he turned around to notice his robotic minions sleeping peacefully on the ground.

“Get up, you useless scrap metal, before I send you to the junk yard!” The metallic duo awoke and jumped back up, raising a hand to their foreheads as if giving a salute. 

“And now, a demonstration,” Eggman said, making sure that Decoe and Bocoe were paying attention. He pulled two Chaos Emeralds, one red and one purple, out of his jacket pocket, stroking his mustache. The doctor placed the two emeralds into their designated slots in the energy amplifier. He pressed a red button, causing the machine to roar to life, static buzzing around the mystical gems. The humming of the machine grew louder as the ground began to shake, causing the two robots to hold each other in fear.

“All right,” Eggman said. “I think we’ve had about enough.” He pressed the button again, allowing the energy amplifier to cool down. Decoe and Bocoe let go of each other, sighing in relief.

“Just you wait, hedgehog,” Eggman said out loud. “Once I have all the emeralds, I’ll be unstoppable.”

“And you will be toast.”

* * *

**Chapter 4 will be published on Monday, June 15, 2020 at about 6:30 PM Central Time (United States).**

**It's been a blast getting back into writing fan fiction after a near decade hiatus, and I hope you've had as much fun reading this story as I had writing it. Thank you to those who've reviewed this story thus far, and any further feedback is greatly appreciated!**

**~ AndTails**


	4. In the City

“I sure am beat.”

Sonic sat in Knuckles’ modest kitchen, resting his legs up on the table as he chugged a blueberry sports drink, sweat rolling down his fur.

“You said it,” Knuckles replied, entering the room with a training towel around his neck. “I haven’t had that much of a workout in a while.”

“Maybe I should come by more often then?”

“Just not _too_ much.” The echidna and hedgehog chuckled while continuing their banter, relaxing after a few hours of sparring in the clearing surrounding Knuckles’ home.

“I wonder how Tails is doin’?” Sonic asked himself, standing up to get a good view of the Master Emerald shrine from the window. Sonic watched as Tails continued his work, typing away on his laptop, which he had wired to multiple points on the large gem.

“Do you think he’ll actually be able to pull it off?” Knuckles asked, peering out of the kitchen window alongside the blue hedgehog, taking a swig of his cherry sports beverage.

“Knowing my little bro, I have confidence that he’ll accomplish whatever he sets his mind to.”

“But still,” Knuckles interjected, “the thought that one can simply detect chaos energy with some machine seems a bit farfetched, don’t you think?”

Sonic turned his head toward the red echidna. “I don’t pretend to know much about all this science stuff. All I really know is that the emeralds can provide a significant power boost in combat, and finding a way to obtain them faster would place us at a great advantage. If anyone in this world can solve this puzzle, it’ll be my lil’ bro.”

“You sure seem to have a lot of confidence in him.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Sonic replied, his face tightening as he sat back down at the table. “Ever since we met, Tails has gotten me out of countless jams and helped thwart Eggman’s schemes time and time again. I don’t think I’d be here today without his genius mind…or his friendship.” Sonic placed his arms on the table, looking up at the red echidna. “Yet despite this, he still places a lot of pressure on himself to be perfect, and he takes any mistake as a personal failure.”

Sonic’s voice began to shake as a slight hint of moisture formed over his eyes. “If I had one wish in this world, it’d be to help my little bro, but I just don’t know how, ya know?”

Knuckles, not used to consoling a friend or having these sorts of interpersonal conversations, stood there and looked at the hedgehog. He observed as Sonic turned his attention back to the window, watching the orange kitsune working diligently on his experiment.

_This is so unlike Sonic. He must really be stressing out if he came to me, of all people, to talk about his feelings._

“But, what am I sayin’?” Sonic said in a joyful manner, a smile appearing on his face as he got up from his seat. “I’m sure that Tails’ll get the detector working, and we’ll have all the emeralds back in no time.”

“Ahh, okay, then…” Knuckles wasn’t sure how to respond to Sonic’s rapid mood swing.

“Why don’t we go check on him?” Sonic offered as he began walking to the door, taking a last gulp of his drink before throwing the bottle in the trash can along the way.

“Hey, you know we recycle here, right?” Knuckles pointed to the recycling bin next to the garbage can. The recycling container was labeled with three arrows that formed a triangle.

“Oops, sorry man.” Sonic ran a hand through his quills in embarrassment before fishing the bottle out of the trash and placing it in the proper bin. As he headed to the exit, Knuckles placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I may not be the best at this sort of thing, but if you ever need to talk some more, I’m always here.” Sonic looked over his shoulder and gave the red echidna a thumbs up and a smile before leaving the cabin.

* * *

Tails stared at his laptop, tinkering with a software application that he had programmed to help analyze the unique energy readings emitted by the emeralds. He carefully studied the monitor, double-checking the software parameters while munching on his box of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate cookies, allowing dark crumbs to fall onto his keyboard.

“All right, here goes nothing.” Tails clicked a few remaining keys before wiping his face clean of cookie crumbs and following the trail of wires leading from his laptop to the Master Emerald, which stuck to the mystical gem with suction cup-like energy readers. The objective was for the emerald’s chaos energy to transmit through the cables and reach the laptop, where Tails’ application would convert the readings into digestible data for further analysis.

Tails watched as the Master Emerald began to glow with a green aura as streaks of static covered the large gem. Meanwhile, the laptop was beginning to hum louder than usual, its small fans spinning faster to prevent the computer from overheating. The program displayed lines upon lines of numerical data as points on a continuously expanding chart shot up and down.

“It’s working!” The orange kitsune waved a fist in the air in excitement before grounding himself back to the task at hand, anxiously dividing his attention between his laptop and the Master Emerald. It was at this time that Sonic and Knuckles arrived back to the shrine, climbing up the stairs to greet the young fox.

“Hey Tails, how’s it goin’?” the blue hedgehog asked, waving at his younger brother. Instead of waiting for an answer, though, he shifted his focus to the glowing emerald, taking a step back in surprise. Knuckles swiftly stepped sideways to avoid Sonic’s sudden movement before noticing the emerald himself.

“Tails, what’re you doing!” Knuckles yelled, approaching the mystical gem with anger in his eyes. “Can’t you see the Master Emerald is in pain?”

“Huh?” Tails looked at the red echidna in confusion. “What do you mean? I’m only gathering data on the emerald’s chaos energy.” As if not hearing Tails’ explanation, Knuckles approached the gem intending to remove the cables. Before he could, though, a bolt of static shocked his hand, causing the tough echidna to step back, his face tensing up as he growled in pain.

“Knuckles, are you hurt?” Tails asked, approaching him with an outstretched hand.

“No, I’m fine.” Knuckles turned away, tending to his bruised hands before shooting a glance back at the orange kitsune. “So, are you gonna stop this madness?”

“I really don’t know what you mean, I was just—” Tails’ explanation was cut short by the static growing in size around the Master Emerald, the gem’s glow now a piercing light that blinded the trio as the shrine began to shake under their feet.

“Tails,” Sonic said, balancing on one foot as he swung his arms to steady himself. “You gotta stop this!”

“Right.” Tails flew over to his laptop, as walking was now out of the question, and pressed a few keys. As the application closed, Tails looked in bewilderment as the Master Emerald continued to glow violently, the intensity of the static getting stronger. “No, this is impossible! The reaction should’ve subsided by now!”

In a desperate attempt to remedy the situation, Tails tried yanking the cables off the emerald, theorizing that the gem was still transmitting data to the computer, even with the program shut down. Despite his attempts, the suction cups remained in place, firmly rooted to the Master Emerald. Tails moved closer to the green gem, still yanking at the cables, with one in either hand, making no progress.

“Why did I have to fasten these so tight?” Tails struggled to say as he used as much force as his little body could muster to remove the cords. As he gave a final tug, a steady stream of static pulsed out of the Master Emerald, striking Tails on both hands, covering his body in a wave of light.

“Ahhhhh!”

To Sonic and Knuckles’ horror, the orange kitsune remained frozen in place for several seconds, glowing brightly to give them a view of the skeletal outline beneath his skin, before falling to his knees. Tails’ body tumbled sideways, facing the Master Emerald, as he fell out of consciousness. 

* * *

Tails slowly opened his eyes, blinded by the mid-afternoon sun pouring through the bedroom window of Knuckles’ cabin, to find himself in bed. Sonic was staring intently into his eyes, shifting in his chair as he noticed his younger brother regaining consciousness.

“Tails!” Sonic grabbed his hand. The young fox winced at the pain in his palms. “Ohh, sorry little bro.”

The kitsune raised his head up and looked down at his hands, gloves replaced by white bandages. He attempted to make fists with his hands, but while he was able to successfully move his fingers, pain still shot up his hand, tears forming in his eyes as his lips trembled. Drying his eyes with his right arm, he looked at the concerned hedgehog sitting next to him on the side of the bed.

“How long was I out?”

“About two hours.” Sonic pointed at a clock on the wall, which read two in the afternoon.

“I see,” Tails replied, resting his eyes for a bit, allowing his hands to drop down to his belly, the position that seemed the most comfortable to his injured paws. “And the Master Emerald?”

“The giant rock is fine,” Sonic replied, a small smile returning to his face. “Knuckles is tending to it now. You should’ve seen the look on his face when you got shocked, though. He was so scared!”

“If _he_ was frightened, I can’t imagine how _you_ reacted!”

The two brothers laughed in unison.

“I’m just glad you’re okay, big guy.”

Sonic peered down at the injured fox as he rustled his hair. Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog, wondering if he was imagining the moisture that appeared to be forming in Sonic’s eyes, as if he were about to cry, or if it was merely an optical illusion from the sun’s reflection.

“I’m…sorry…” Tails said, looking down at his palms again, his fingers twitching as feeling returned to his hands.

“Hey, you’ve got nothin’ to apologize for,” Sonic replied, stroking the back of the fox’s head.

“Did I really cause pain to the Master Emerald?” Tails looked back up at the blue hedgehog, tears welling up in his eyes.

“I don’t know for sure,” Sonic replied, holding Tails’ hands, delicately enough to not cause pain, “but nobody believes that you did it on purpose.” The blue hedgehog’s calming voice and rational response helped cool his nerves, fresh tears no longer building up in his eyes. The young kitsune’s face loosened as he looked out the window.

“I’m sure Knuckles is upset with me, huh.” Tails watched as the red echidna shined the Master Emerald, as if attempting to restore the mystical gem after being sullied by his experimentation.

“He was much more concerned with your well-being than that stupid rock,” Sonic replied. “But if you think you’re up to it, we can get you out of bed and walk around, maybe go see ‘im too.”

Tails wiggled his toes to confirm his feet weren’t asleep before pulling himself out of bed. The hedgehog helped steady the orange fox as he placed his feet on the ground before letting him go. Tails wobbled a bit, grabbing onto Sonic’s shoulder before regaining his composure. After releasing him once more, waiting several seconds to make sure he could stand on his own, the young kitsune was able to keep his balance without anyone there to prop him up.

“Now let’s see if you can walk.” Sonic stepped out of the bedroom, beckoning Tails to follow him. Instead, he lost himself in thought, no longer in the company of his big brother.

_I don’t understand…how did I survive such a shock with little more than burnt hands? Surely the intensity of the electricity should’ve paralyzed me, or worse…_

The young kitsune stood there, pondering his miraculous recovery, his finger to his chin as he continued looking out the window, the sun warming his orange fur.

“Is something wrong?” Sonic asked, poking his head back into the bedroom to check on his little brother.

“No, I’m fine.” Wishing to delay no longer, Tails moved his legs, still wobbly as if his nervous system were still rebooting. Slowly taking a few more steps, however, the orange fox regained the ability to move normally, briskly following Sonic out of the cabin.

The bright sun, light wind, and refreshing aroma of the outdoor air seemed to calm Tails’ mind. He breathed deeply, allowing the air to escape his lungs slowly as he looked across the pristine clearing. He took it all in, forgetting about his injuries and scientific failures for a few moments before turning his eyes to the Master Emerald Shrine, where Knuckles was still shining the large gem with a white rag.

Not wanting to push his luck, but still eager to test his body’s limits after recovering from the electric shock, Tails jogged toward the shrine. Deciding that his legs were okay, and his balance unhindered, he began to spin his namesakes to increase his speed. Thankfully, his tails, or the rest of his body, didn’t seem to be drastically impacted by the accident, just another mystery that rivaled the age-old question of how he was able to rotate his appendages like helicopter propellers in the first place.

Sonic watched as Tails picked up speed.

_Man, that little guy recovers fast!_

Meeting each other at the foot of the shrine, the two brothers walked up the stone steps to greet Knuckles, who had since dropped his rag and sat down for a break.

“How are you doing, Knuckles?” Tails asked, his voice shaky. He was nervous to confront him after the incident with his Master Emerald.

“Not too bad,” the red echidna replied, looking up at the young kitsune from his seat on the ground. “I should be asking _you_ the same thing.”

“Oh, I’m fine.” Tails smiled as he placed a hand behind his head before pulling it away, forgetting that his palms were more sensitive than usual.

“I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier,” Knuckles said, standing back on his feet. “I just hope you realize _why_ I got so upset.”

“No, no, I should be the one apologizing for hurting the Master Emerald. I feel like I deserve the punishment I received.”

“That’s not true. I may be the guardian of the Master Emerald, sworn to protect it at all costs, but that doesn’t mean your pain was deserved. Besides, I’m sure the Master Emerald recognized you were not actually trying to cause harm.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Tails itched his muzzle. “Hey, Knuckles…does the Master Emerald have…sentience?”

“What does that mean?” Knuckles raised his hand to his chin, attempting to decipher this new word.

“You know…feelings…thoughts…like you and me.”

“Ohh, I see. Well…yes, the Master Emerald _does_ have feelings, and I can use my connection to the emerald to sense these emotions, but it has never spoken to me in words. I felt the emerald’s pain during your experiment, but it didn’t say that you were causing it…it didn’t need to.”

The young fox approached the Master Emerald once more, the gem glistening in the mid-afternoon sun. “If you can understand me, I just want you to know that…I’m sorry...” He placed an injured paw on the large gem as he looked down at the base of the emerald. Surprisingly, his hand didn’t hurt from touching the mystical gem.

Knuckles and Tails stood there in silence. Only the rustling of the wind and the chirping of distant flickys could be heard as they lost themselves in thought. Sonic, who was on the other side of the Master Emerald, came back around and approached his younger brother.

“Hey Tails, you’re gonna wanna take a look at this.” The fox looked up and followed the blue hedgehog to the other side of the shrine, a charred laptop resting on the ground.

At first, the orange kitsune blankly stared at the damaged laptop, coming to the realization that all his hard work, not to mention his injuries, were for nothing, until he realized that not all hope was lost. The fox turned to his smartwatch, pressing a few buttons to reveal a projector-like display that floated over Tails’ wrist, allowing him to interface with its menu by swiping with his hands.

“Aha!” Tails raised a fist in the air and jumped for joy. “ _This_ is why I always run back-ups! My laptop saved all the Master Emerald readings to the cloud in real-time. I should be able to work with this.”

“That’s great news!” Sonic said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Tails looked up at his older brother with a smile, content that the work he undertook, and the inadvertent risks that he put the Master Emerald through, paid off in the end.

Their celebration, however, was cut short as the projector’s image of numerical chaos energy data shifted to the face of a small, serious-looking Mobian.

“Hello, come in, Tails,” said a gravely, deep voice from the other end of the call. “This is General Pitliff.” Sonic and company saw him talking into a headset covering his large, gray ears, a green hard hat and military fatigues blanketing his small, furry, puffy body. If not for his stern expression, the frown on his face, and his petrifying stare, the chinchilla would have almost looked cute.

“Listen up,” Pitliff continued, placing a small paw over his exposed ear. “Robotnik is up to his dirty schemes again.” He paused as a car exploded in the background. “We need you and Sonic here to defeat and, hopefully, apprehend the evil doctor.”

“We’re on it,” Tails replied, giving Pitliff a salute with his arm.

“I knew we could count on you.” Pitliff entered a few digits into his smartwatch. “All right, I just sent you the coordinates, the heart of Seaside City. We’ll fend him off until you get here, at which point we will divert our focus to assisting the injured while you take care of Robotnik.”

“Understood,” Tails said as the general ended the call. He turned his attention to Sonic and Knuckles. “Alright, let’s go and kick Eggman’s butt!”

“Hold on a second.” Sonic raised his arms, signaling the young fox to pause as he was about to fly down the stone steps of the shrine. “Is it such a good idea for you to go rushing into battle with your injuries?”

Tails stared at the bandages on his hands. He winced in pain as he attempted to form tight fists.

“I’m…I’m alright, Sonic…honest.”

“I dunno, little buddy. I’m not so sure you’re in a condition to fight.”

Tails stared at his older brother, a look of disbelief appearing on his face. “But I’m your pilot. We can defeat Eggman together, like we always do. And besides, now that Eggman is back, we don’t know _what_ he is planning, or if he has any Chaos Emeralds.”

Sonic looked up at the blue sky while tapping a finger against his chin, pondering Tails’ plea to help.

_I am concerned for the little guy, especially with his injuries, and I could just fly the Tornado 2 by myself, but that’d absolutely crush his self-confidence._

“As long as you stay in the plane, I’ll allow it.” The hedgehog folded his arms and lowered his head, closing his eyes as if in deep thought. “I care too much about you to put you in harm’s way.” Sonic’s voice cracked as he looked up at Tails, a smile returning to the blue blur’s face. “But if you promise to keep yourself safe, we could definitely use the air support.”

Tails could’ve sworn that the hedgehog’s eyes were starting to moisten.

_He really is concerned for me, huh? Well, all the more reason to make him proud!_

Sonic raised a gloved pinkie finger, and the young fox grabbed hold of it with his own bandaged pinkie finger.

“Pinkie swear!” they said in unison.

“Hey guys, not to interrupt your conversation here, but shouldn’t we be heading to Seaside City?”

“You’re right, Knuckles.” Sonic replied. “Let’s go!”

With that, Team Sonic dashed through the clearing and the wooded path, making their way back to the Tornado 2, untouched from their arrival earlier that day.

Tails hopped in the cockpit as Sonic and Knuckles planted their feet on the left and right wings, respectively.

“You sure you’re gonna be comfortable leaving the Master Emerald behind?” Sonic asked as Tails readied for takeoff.

“I don’t like being away from the shrine, yes, but a few hours should be okay. Eggman is the biggest threat to the Master Emerald after all, so I’m _still_ defending the Master Emerald, even if I’m away from the island.”

“I guess,” Sonic replied, shrugging his shoulders. “Hey Tails, are we about ready yet?”

“Almost.” Tails’ fingers were still numb from his injuries, lightly burning as he twisted the knobs and pulled the levers on his control panel. “I know what should make it better!” He reached into his glove compartment to find a new pair of white gloves, replacing the ones destroyed during the incident. “These should provide some padding to help dull the pain.”

He slipped the gloves on gently, careful not to undo the bandages around his hands, before bringing the biplane to life. He spun it around, twisting it 180 degrees on the grassy runway, and rolled forward, picking up enough speed to take off and retract the aircraft’s wheels. The young kitsune looked down at his gloved hands, now lifting the plane as it brought the gang up to a higher elevation.

“Yeah, I think these gloves’ll do nicely.” He grinned to himself as he glanced at either wing, making sure that his two companions didn’t fall into the ocean below. Next, he clicked a few buttons on his smartwatch to transmit General Pitliff’s coordinates to the Tornado 2’s built-in GPS. “Alright!” Tails said to himself. “If we go a little bit faster, we should reach our destination in about 15 minutes.”

And with that, Tails cranked up the speed, the hedgehog and echidna wobbling a bit before regaining their composure, as Team Sonic soared through the sky, on their way to confront Eggman once more.

* * *

Seaside Hill was a tropical paradise, sparsely populated by Mobians and primarily visited by tourists eager to enjoy the pleasant waters, warm sun, and ancient architecture the getaway had to offer. Over the years, a city formed nearby, although not close enough to disturb its natural wildlife or pollute its pristine waters. As time passed, the city expanded further away from the coastline that made the region famous. Eventually, a multi-lane interstate highway was constructed through the heart of the city. Tall buildings were developed to house various multi-national corporations that established their roots in the sprawling economically lush business district. New suburban communities seemed to sprout up like wildfire, eager to fill the residential needs of workers who wanted to live away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Indeed, the city was growing at a rapid rate.

The perfect target for Eggman’s nefarious schemes.

As Team Sonic neared the coordinates provided to them by General Pitliff, they spotted the sight and smell of smoke filling the air and a large figure hovering high above the city, higher than the tall buildings of downtown as if waiting for a new challenger to appear from the skies. As the biplane got closer, they got a better view of this entity: a large, silver, mechanical raptor with long talons, a wingspan the length of a semitruck, a razor-sharp beak, and menacing red eyes that glared at the party.

“Why hello there, you miserable pests!” The sound of Eggman’s bellowing voice echoed out of the raptor’s beak. Now approaching within striking distance of the creation, Tails began to circle it, hoping to learn of the evil doctor’s intentions while developing a plan for taking down the raptor.

“All right, Eggman,” Tails said, speaking into his headset, allowing his voice to be heard through external speakers. “What are you up to this time?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, my furry little friend.” The robot hovered in place as the biplane made its second lap around. “All right, I’ll get right to the point. Hand over whatever Chaos Emeralds you may have in your possession or else I’ll continue terrorizing Seaside City with my Elemental Egg Eagle!” As if on cue, the mechanical eagle let out a deafening cry that sounded nearly identical to the real thing. The orange kitsune’s muscles tensed at the menacing sight before him, but Sonic didn’t seem too worried.

“Elemental whatchamacallit?” Sonic asked, placing his hands on his knees while laughing. “You need to build a robot to help you name these things because you’re lacking in the creativity department!”

“I’ll have you know that it took several days to come up with the perfect name!”

“Doesn’t sound like it to me,” Knuckles replied, pounding his fists together in anticipation for the battle ahead. Sonic followed suit, stretching his arms forward while still maintaining his balance on the unstable wing at his feet.

“Let’s say we show Eggman a thing or two.”

Not waiting for a response from the red echidna, Sonic leapt forward, rolling into a ball as he charged toward the robotic eagle. Knuckles did the same, gliding towards their foe, his arms outstretched in front of him. The two allies made contact, but they ricocheted off the mechanical beast, not even leaving a scratch. Tails expertly caught the two with his biplane, one on either wing, as he continued circling around the eagle.

“Now it’s my turn!” Tails declared, pressing a button on his steering wheel to release a torrent of bullets. Unfortunately, these also bounced off the robotic beast, seemingly having no impact on their foe.

“Wooahhooohoohooo.” Eggman’s jolly laughter was almost as deafening as the eagle’s cry. “Surely you didn’t think that such trivial attacks would stop the Elemental Egg Eagle!”

By this point, Sonic and Knuckles had recovered from their first attack against the raptor and tried again, both launching off the biplane’s wings simultaneously. This time, however, the eagle dodged the attack, soaring upward with a flap of its wings. The blue and red blurs collided, just hard enough to throw Sonic out of his spherical form, as they plummeted to the city below.

Once again, Tails jumped into action, putting his plane into a harrowing nosedive as he swooped down to capture the heroes on the leftmost wing.

“Aha! You fell right into my trap!” Eggman yelled from above.

Tails looked behind him to see what was, perhaps, his worst nightmare, the very thing that he feared most: lightning. The bright streak approached the biplane, originating from the eagle’s beak, hitting the tail of the plane. Electricity sparked along the back of the aircraft, but it didn’t reach the cockpit or the wings thanks to the weather-proofing shock absorbers installed throughout the Tornado 2.

“You’re gonna have to try harder than that, Eggman!” Tails yelled. Before the young fox could reverse his nosedive, however, an emergency alarm rang from the plane. He looked behind once more to discover the fire scorching the plane’s tail. “Damn it!”

“Woah, Tails. Language!” Sonic yelled as he and the red echidna clasped onto the wing, their legs dangling upward as the plane careened to the ground below. Tails ignored this comment, instead trying to steady the plane for an emergency landing.

“Bad news, guys. Looks like we’re gonna have to take this battle to the city.” As Tails announced his plan into his headset, he frantically looked around the cityscape for a suitable place to land his biplane. The tall buildings scattered throughout the downtown area directly below were, perhaps, suitable for a helicopter landing, but he needed a long strip of road to safely land his aircraft without any casualties.

The kitsune found an abandoned stretch of the interstate, a section just long enough for him to land the plane and allow it to roll to a safe stop. Wasting no time, the fox took the plane out of its nosedive, allowing the Tornado 2 to lose altitude as a steadier pace. He steered the plane, positioning it horizontally with the highway below.

“Brace yourselves!” Tails yelled, deploying the wheels as his friends regained their composure from the nosedive. They bent their knees and balanced on the biplane’s wing like a surfboard, using their hands to keep themselves from falling off as the aircraft’s wheels made contact with the cement surface below. As the plane slowly lost speed, the orange kitsune dodged a few burning police cars before the aircraft ground to a halt, almost colliding with a school bus that obstructed the entire stretch of the interstate.

“Great landing, Tails!” Sonic called out, giving the pilot a thumbs up, which Tails returned before opening the hatch protecting the cockpit.

“Woah, hold up there, cowboy.” Sonic looked up at the cockpit, his younger brother about to jump out. “Remember what you promised earlier.” It took a few moments for Tails to recall that he committed to staying in the plane.

“But I can fight, Sonic! You’re gonna need all the help y—”

“Pinkie…swear.” Sonic interrupted the fox’s argument with a stern voice, staring sharply at the pilot. “I’m sorry, but with your injuries, you’d only be a liability on the battlefield. Come on, Knuckles.”

The two jumped off the wing and ran down the interstate, approaching the mechanical raptor that had since descended and hovered in place a short distance away. Sonic dashed off too quickly to see the tears welling-up in Tails’ eyes. He tried to dry them with his gloved hands, but his emotional agony seemed to exacerbate his physical pain, causing him to groan in discomfort. He slumped in his chair, looking down at his feet as tears rolled down his muzzle, dripping to his legs.

“A liability, huh? Is that what you truly think?”

The young fox was too emotionally blinded to realize that Sonic’s comment was narrowly referencing the situation at hand – his injuries making him a more vulnerable target – instead of a poignant attack against his overall usefulness.

“No…” Tails’ voice was scratchy as he spoke through his tears. “I can do anything I set my mind to. I can help you defeat Eggman and prove that I’m no liability.” Drying his tears with his left arm, he jumped out of the aircraft. The fire on the plane’s tail extinguished itself naturally, so the young fox didn’t need to worry about further damage to his prized biplane.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?” Tails said to the Tornado 2, patting its metallic body as if to reassure the aircraft that he’d return safely.

He turned around and ran toward his friends, activating his namesakes for extra speed. The trip only took him a few minutes, even while dodging the debris scattered along the road. Hiding behind a destroyed car to remain undiscovered by Eggman, Tails peeked around the vehicle to find the evil doctor giving one of his famous, albeit annoying monologues.

“Isn’t my Elemental Egg Eagle an eggzzellent invention? It has the speed and agility of a raptor with an impenetrable body and the ability to produce not one…not two…but THREE elemental attacks. As you’ve already witnessed, electricity is one of them. Want to guess what else we have in store?” The eagle, resting its mechanical talons on the cement road, opened its beak while charging a new attack. “Get a load of this!”

The mechanical slave unleashed a stream of fire in Sonic and Knuckles’ direction. Sonic dodged with relative ease while Knuckles left little room for comfort. After jumping to the side, he noticed a warm feeling above his head. A few seconds later, he realized that his fur was on fire. He ducked and rolled around frantically to put out the miniature blaze, leaving a patchy burnt spot near his dreadlocks.

“Ahaha, Knuckles…you should look at yourself in the mirror!” The blue hedgehog laughed as he pointed at the red echidna, unable to control his emotions as Knuckles’ anger grew hotter than the flames he just extinguished. Suffice it to say: unlike Sonic, Knuckles didn’t chuckle.

“This is no laughing matter, you oaf!”

Little did Sonic know, Knuckles was correct. Eggman used this opportunity for the eagle to recharge, its beak gaping open as it gathered the energy necessary to release another flamethrower attack. Sonic quickly stopped laughing and braced himself for another dodge, Knuckles doing the same. Before the bird could launch its attack, however, an orange kitsune ran towards it, passing Sonic and Knuckles by as he held a dummy ring bomb in his outstretched hand.

“Get a load of _this_ you fiend!”

Tails threw the ring directly at the eagle’s beak, landing in its mouth and falling down its throat. The machine’s eyes grew wide, realizing that a foreign object was obstructing the elemental weapons housed in its throat. It tried to gag it out, but it was no good; the bomb stuck itself to the first surface that it touched, making removal almost impossible in the short period of time before detonation. The eagle put its head down, as if conceding defeat, before the beak exploded, shooting shrapnel everywhere as the eagle collapsed to the ground, its wing twitching as if it were a real bird on its last legs.

“Noooooo! Curse that meddlesome fox! Get up, you worthless bucket of bolts!” Miraculously, the eagle obeyed; only its mouth and beak were damaged, so the rest of the mechanical raptor was still intact. The hole in the bird’s face left by the explosion revealed the three elemental cannons that deployed their respective attacks. The two on either side were too damaged to be of use, but the middle weapon was in working order.

“Freeze that fox back to the ice age, or else you’ll be joining your brothers in the junkyard.” Not needing to be threatened again, the eagle began charging the attack, a white mist forming around the hole in its face.

“Now fire!” At a speed even faster than its flame attack, the injured eagle released a stream of ice. The young fox had no time to dodge; the attack hit him directly in the chest, launching him back as the cold stream followed him, the green Chaos Emerald slipping from his utility belt and landing on the cement below.

“Not…the emerald…” Tails struggled to say as his body flew through the air, passing Sonic and Knuckles in the opposite direction before colliding with the side of a school bus. The ice continued its onslaught against his furry body, entombing him completely in a frozen chunk of ice against the bus, save for his head and a single arm.

“Ahhh, I’m…stuck…” Tails tried to wiggle himself free, but he lacked the energy and power to break the ice.

“Tails!” Sonic ran back to him, concern in his eyes as he approached his younger brother. “I’m gonna get you out of this.”

“No…Sonic…” Tails said between labored breaths, his body experiencing a tremendous amount of pain from the cold penetrating his fur and piercing the skin below. He used his head and eyes to turn Sonic’s attention to his free hand, a dummy ring bomb around his wrist. “Take…this bomb…and throw it into…its gullet. That…should weaken it…enough for you…and Knuckles to…bring it…do—” 

Tails spoke no more, dangling from the side of the truck.

“Tails…” Sonic placed a hand on his furry face, unresponsive to his gentle touch.

“Tails!”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 4! Chapter 5 will be published on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 by 6:30 PM U.S. central time (CST). I’m going to begin publishing new chapters every nine days going forward, instead of seven days. This will allow me more time to write and edit, provide more time for my beta reader to review my draft, and give users who check this site on different days of the week a better opportunity to find this story. I apologize for the inconvenience!**

**As always, feel free to share your feedback, positive or critical!**


	5. A Recovering Hero

“Tails!” Sonic screamed, anger burning inside him as he witnessed his younger brother fall out of consciousness, his small body dangling from the side of the bus. Dropping to his knees, the blue hedgehog slammed a fist against the cement below. “Dammit!”

Sonic’s heavy breathing slowed as his anger was overtaken with a sense of dread and sadness, tears welling up in his eyes as his outstretched arms kept his body from completely falling over.

“How…how could you, Eggman…” Sonic struggled to produce coherent words as his vision was obscured by the tears enveloping his eyes, dripping down his face, and falling to his hands. “I…couldn’t save my little bro…”

Knuckles, meanwhile, approached the orange kitsune, placing a gloved hand on his neck, just above the ice that encrusted the rest of his body. He felt a faint pulse.

“Hey Sonic,” Knuckles said, turning around to see the hedgehog still crying on the ground. “Tails is alive but barely holding on.”

“Really?” Sonic dried the moisture from his eyes with his left arm as he jumped back up, running toward his little brother. He placed his palm below his nose to confirm the presence of light breathing coming out of the fox’s nose. “He really is alive!” His tears of sadness were replaced with tears of joy.

“If we don’t get him out soon, he’ll freeze to death,” Knuckles said. He looked down at the water dripping from the ice, melting in the mid-afternoon sun. “Even at the speed the ice is melting, Tails’ll suffer from hypothermia if we don’t do something.”

“Right.” Sonic collected his wits as he dried the fresh round of tears from his face. “Knuckles, you pry him out with your fists.” Sonic jumped up and grabbed the dummy ring bomb still dangling around Tails’ wrist. “I have some unfinished business.”

As Sonic snagged the bomb, he heard the sound of retracting metal from behind. Spinning around, he watched as an outstretched, metallic claw from the Elemental Egg Eagle’s chest plucked the green Chaos Emerald from the pavement and deposited it into what remained of its gullet, gulping as if it were a real bird swallowing a worm.

“Wooahhooohoohooo, now I have _three_ Chaos Emeralds! Only four more until I have achieved complete, global domination!” The evil doctor’s voice bellowed out of the eagle’s speakers, reaching Team Sonic as the bird readied itself for an escape.

“Oh no you don’t!” Sonic yelled, running toward the raptor at intense speed. “I’ll make you pay for what you did to Tails!”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, you meddlesome hedgehog! Now that I’ve accomplished my objective, I think it’s time I make like an egg…and scram.”

With one flap of its wings, cracking the pavement below, the eagle lifted itself from the ground, hovering in place.

“Hah! You’re too slow!” Sonic jumped into the hole that once housed the machine’s beak, entering his spherical form to ensure the utmost precision as he crashed against the remaining elemental weapon housed in its throat. Sonic’s sharp quills made quick work of the weapon, destroying it upon impact. The blue hedgehog unwrapped himself from his ball, falling to his knees, unable to get his footing on the unstable surface.

The eagle screeched as if in pain, almost deafening Sonic as he placed his hands against his triangular ears. It was at this point that he remembered the dummy ring bomb around his wrist. Finding the will to remove his hands from his ringing ears, the hedgehog allowed the bomb to fall into his right hand. He pressed a button on the outside of the ring, causing it to glow.

“This one’s for you, Tails.” Sonic lifted his right arm back, as if preparing to pitch a baseball, and threw it down the bird’s throat before launching himself out of the eagle’s mouth, landing firmly on his feet, hardly giving himself the time to run away fast enough to escape the explosion.

The blue hedgehog dodged pieces of shrapnel as flames covered the pile of debris that remained of the metallic raptor. Instead of admiring his handywork, though, he ran back to the bus, relieved to find his little brother lying on the ground, no longer covered in ice. The kitsune shivered in his uneasy sleep, his face tightening up as if in pain.

“Tails…” Sonic dropped to his knees once more, holding his cold hands as tears fell from his face. “How could I let this happen! Why’d you break our pinkie promise?” The blue hedgehog sobbed as he aimlessly shifted from blaming himself to unintentionally blaming his adoptive brother, his tears coating the fox’s gloved hands.

As Sonic wept alongside his unconscious companion, Knuckles heard a rustling from the debris Sonic abandoned.

“What the…” Knuckles squinted, placing a hand over his brow. He witnessed a spherical shape appear out of the fiery mess, a pod with an indestructible, transparent cover that protected the maniacal doctor from the explosion’s impact.

“Well, my furry little friends, you may’ve won the battle,” Eggman began as he showed off the green Chaos Emerald for Knuckles to see, “but you lost the war!” The doctor laughed as he floated away in his Egg Mobile, attempting to flee the damaged downtown area.

“You’re not going to escape that easily, Eggman!” Knuckles ran to the nearest building just off the interstate, climbing it by punching against the hard surface of the structure, creating dented fist holds as he maneuvered his way upward. Reaching the top in no time, he leapt off the building and glided toward the evil doctor, who was now at a slightly lower altitude than the red echidna.

“Huh? What!” Eggman yelled, turning around in his Egg Mobile to see Knuckles clasping onto its side. Using his control stick, Robotnik jerked his flying pod in all directions, causing the red echidna’s grasp to slip. “Just drop, you annoying little pest!”

Knuckles held on, sweat dripping from his brow as he clenched his teeth, unable to establish a clear handhold on Eggman’s impenetrable Egg Mobile. With one final jerk to the side, the red echidna lost his grip, falling to the world below before regaining his gliding posture, safely maneuvering near the site of the smoldering Elemental Egg Eagle.

Eggman laughed at the sight of Knuckles falling to the streets. “That’ll teach him to mess with the power of the Eggman Empire!” The evil doctor flew away into the sunset, leaving the damaged downtown behind.

Knuckles landed near Sonic and Tails, slamming a fist against the concrete in anger, causing it to crack. “Damn that Eggman! He got away with the Chaos Emerald.”

“Now’s not the time to worry about your stupid rock collection,” Sonic said, his voice cracking as he continued kneeling beside the unconscious fox. “We need to get Tails medical attention fast.”

As if on cue, an ambulance arrived at the scene, emergency responders pulling a stretcher from the back of the vehicle. Without thinking or blinking, the blue blur picked Tails up, ran him to the stretcher, and gently set him down.

“Can I come along for the ride?” Sonic asked one of the masked medics.

“Of course!” she replied as her team placed the stretcher back in the ambulance. Knuckles waved at the blue hedgehog as he leapt in, the doors closing shut as the emergency vehicle sped away from the scene. 

Sonic looked down in surprise as he witnessed the young fox trying to open his eyes, his face tensing up as the bright lights of the ambulance’s interior crept through his eyelids.

“Tails?” Sonic reached down and lightly grabbed the kitsune’s hands as he looked into his eyes.

“S..S…Sonic…di…did we…win?”

Sonic hesitated, looking at the injured fox as he struggled to maintain eye contact. “Yes Tails…yes we did.” Tears began to well up in Sonic’s eyes once more. 

“H…hooray.” This was all the young fox could say before closing his eyes and falling back asleep.

A medic ordered the blue hedgehog to move, which he did without a moment’s thought, maneuvering to the corner of the cramped vehicle as medics got to work evaluating the unconscious fox.

“Hang in there, little buddy.” Sonic crossed his arms and lowered his head.

_Hang in there…for me._

* * *

Slipping out of a restless sleep, Sonic awoke to find himself in a small chair sitting next to Tails’ hospital bed. The tired hedgehog had repeated this routine for the last 48 hours, stepping out of the room whenever the medical staff needed to check the kitsune’s vitals. Tails had been slipping in and out of consciousness since passing out on the battlefield, unable to coherently communicate before returning to his slumber. The blue blur, who had eaten little since arriving to the hospital, still felt sick to his stomach, lacking any appetite as he sat by Tails’ side.

“How could I have let this happen, Tails?” Sonic put his hands to his face to block the morning light streaming through the window of the hospital room. “I’m your best friend, your older brother…I swore to protect you, and look at you now.” He gestured to the unconscious fox. “How can I call myself a hero when I let this happen, huh?” He sat motionless for several minutes, his face still buried in his hands, until his trance was cut short by the beeping noises coming from the beside medical computer. He looked over at the accompanying monitor to see a line graph beginning to bop up and down as the speed of the beeping grew faster. Sonic turned his attention away from the computer and to his younger brother, whose eyes slowly opened.

“T…Tails?” Sonic slowly approached the orange kitsune, placing a gloved hand on his cheek.

“S…Sonic?” Tails turned his head in Sonic’s direction. He was sore from the fight and the long stay in bed, and the cables covering his body restricted his movement.

“I’m here, little buddy.” Sonic was relieved beyond all measure to see his younger brother wake up, but he didn’t want to frighten the little fox either, so he mustered the will to keep his voice at a reasonable volume, almost failing and crying out in excitement.

Tails pulled himself up, leaning his back against the end of the bed as he attempted to collect his bearings. He looked at himself, staring at the cables and suction cups attached to his arms, legs, and chest. As he was about to observe his hands, though, his vision started to blur, his head bobbing a bit before putting his hands down to secure himself.

“Ohh Sonic, I don’t feel so good.”

Sonic could see the young kitsune beginning to sweat from his brow as his face tensed up, holding one hand to his stomach as he breathed deeply with his eyes closed. The blue hedgehog grabbed an emesis bag from the corner of the room and opened it, using his fingers to expand the hole at the top. He was just in time, as his younger brother vomited mere seconds later, the blue hedgehog steadily holding the bag below the young kitsune’s mouth. Once Tails’ vomiting concluded, Sonic placed the sickness bag in the garbage and pressed a red button on the bedside table to request assistance from a nurse.

Tails leaned back as he breathed a sigh of relief, putting his head up and taking fresh breaths. He still felt dizzy, but not nearly as bad as before.

Sonic observed his younger brother, his breathing returning to normal as he kept his eyes closed, when he noticed excess goo on his muzzle. Without a second thought, he grabbed a moist towelette from the bedside table and cleaned the mess from his face, rubbing the wipe gently while keeping the fox’s head secure with his other hand.

“Feelin’ better, little guy?”

“Yeah…I think so.” Tails stared at Sonic, noticing the rings around his eyes, the worry in his face, and the streaks of dry tears across his muzzle.

_I’ve never seen Sonic like this before…_

The orange fox blankly stared at Sonic in silence.

“Why the long face, lil’ bro?” As if by magic, Sonic put on a smile, and life seemed to return to his face as he rubbed Tails’ back.

_Heh…I thought I was the only one who could so easily fake happiness._

“Why’d I do it, Sonic?”

“Huh?” Sonic pulled his hand back as he tried to understand Tails’ question.

“You made me promise not to put myself in harm’s way. I even gave you a solemn oath.” He raised an outstretched hand and wiggled his pinkie finger before putting his arm back down. “And yet…I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. I couldn’t just let my friends fight alone. And…” Tails’ eyes began to well up as he finished his thoughts. “…and I just didn’t want to feel useless.”

“Hey bro,” Sonic replied, his face loosening up as he approached the orange kitsune from the side of the bed, patting his left leg in reassurance. “If it weren’t for your genius idea to blow up the eagle thing with a dummy ring bomb, Knuckles and I would’ve had a much harder time defeating Eggman. And plus…” he paused, looking into the young fox’s eyes. “…you have a spirit of a true hero.”

“W…what do you mean?” Tails asked, his voice cracking as he attempted to parse what felt like unwarranted praise.

“A true hero doesn’t stop when told not to run into action. You _knew_ that we needed your help, and it was your hero’s intuition that made you break your pinkie promise.” Sonic stood up and rustled Tails’ hair. “And for that…I forgive you.”

“S…Sonic…I don’t know what to say…” Tails was caught off-guard by his older brother’s genuine praise, slightly blushing in embarrassment at the thought of being a hero, not merely a sidekick.

Before the brothers could talk further, a nurse entered the room, a young squirrel with a bushy tail, brown fur, and a medical mask and scrubs covering her face and body, respectively. She held a tablet computer as she approached the bed.

“Ah yes, Mr. Prower,” she began. “How are you feeling?”

“Well…” Tails replied, looking over at the waste basket. “I woke up kinda dizzy, but I think I’m feeling better now.”

“As to be expected,” she replied, taking the garbage can away for the medical team to analyze later. She sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the bed, Sonic and Tails watching as she opened the patient’s chart on her tablet.

“Thankfully, your injuries were not severe. Your fur and gloves protected you from frostbite, but the force of your impact with the school bus gave you a mild concussion. Miraculously, brain scans taken over the past 48 hours have shown a remarkable rate of recovery, and you did not sustain any permanent brain damage, but you did experience a fever following your arrival to the hospital. The physical toll caused by the battle, and the resulting fever and concussion, is what likely caused you to stay unconscious for most of the last two days.” The nurse set her tablet on her lap and gave the young kitsune a once over before concluding. “To be safe, we are advising that you limit your physical activity and screen time for the next five days, and if recovery continues going well, we can discharge you.”

Tails groaned. He knew the medical advice was sound, but he couldn’t stand the thought of lying in bed for the next several days, both for his own sanity and because any time spent in recovery meant more time for Eggman to plot his next move.

“The nursing staff will periodically check on you, but feel free to press the button on the bedside table if you need anything.”

“Thanks, miss!” Sonic said, waving at the nurse as she left the room. As she closed the door behind her, the young kitsune closed his eyes and laid back in bed.

“I know it isn’t ideal,” Sonic said, watching as his younger brother yawned, “but it’ll be for your own good. Once you are fully recovered, we can go stop Eggman together, but in the meantime, I’ll be here for every step of your recovery.”

“Thanks Sonic,” Tails replied, “but you should really stop home for a bit.”

“What? Why?”

“Because…you stink.”

“Excuse me?” Sonic asked, not expecting this answer from the young fox.

“Seriously,” Tails continued, chuckling under his breath before pinching his nose, “it’s like you haven’t showered in weeks.”

“Hey!” Sonic sniffed under his armpits as the fox, who appeared tired mere moments ago, burst into a fit of laughter, rolling slightly from side to side, movement still limited from the cables around his body. “I don’t smell _that_ bad you know!”

Sonic crossed his arms and looked away, unable to hide the smirk on his face. “Well geez, that’s the last time I spend days watching over you in a hospital.” The two brothers laughed a bit more. As their giggling subsided, Sonic saw the smile radiating from Tails’ face, making the blue hedgehog both happy and relieved, a weight falling from his shoulders as he was able to breathe easily for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

_Tails will be okay._

* * *

Tails was lying in his hospital bed, the third day of recovery since waking up. He felt significantly better than he did when he first entered the hospital, and the cables placed throughout his body had since been removed.

The fox continuously made swiping motions with his right hand, browsing the internet on his smartwatch, projecting the image over his wrist, to kill time.

_I know I should be resting, but I can’t just sit around and do nothing._

Against the advice of his nurse, the fox began his recovery by analyzing the data he collected from his experiment on the Master Emerald, looking at the numbers and graphs which depicted the frequency of the energy given off by the mystical gem. He was attempting to come up with a way to program his Chaos Emerald detector to locate objects around Mobius that emitted the same energy frequencies as the Master Emerald, but he was simply unable to focus on such a complex task while recovering from his last skirmish. At this point, even thinking about the string of numbers, let alone looking at them on his smartwatch, made his head dizzy.

Tails looked away from the projected image and peered down at the Chaos Emerald detector lying beside him, a screwdriver sitting next to it. He intended to take it apart once again, hoping to use the opportunity afforded to him in recovery to program new code that could potentially work with the data collected from the experiment. Ultimately, though, he decided that he needed a little more time to heal before performing such a cognitively strenuous task.

Mindlessly sifting through low quality memes that made him chuckle on occasion, he couldn’t help but feel that he was wasting time. Nevertheless, he knew that he couldn’t really be of use right now anyway, so he remained in bed, lying down as his half-opened eyes consumed every image, text post, and video that his social media feed had to offer. 

While Tails was browsing, Sonic stepped through the door carrying a duffle bag. The orange kitsune turned off the projector and pulled himself up, excited for his blue companion to rip him away from utter boredom.

“Hiya Sonic!”

“Hey Tails, I think you’re gonna like what I brought from home.” The hedgehog placed the bag on the bed. “I would’ve brought more, but I can only carry so much!” Running to and from the Mystic Ruins wasn’t a challenge for the blue blur, but he couldn’t carry more than one bag full of goods on his back at a time.

“That’s fine,” Tails replied, a smile on his face. “I heard from the shop that the Tornado 2 will be repaired soon anyway, just in time for my discharge!”

The blue hedgehog poured the contents of the bag onto the bed, which piled up by the orange fox’s knees. Tails sifted through the contents to find much to keep him busy for the next several days. A small chess set was the first thing he noticed. The orange kitsune glanced at Sonic, who was sitting next to him on the side of the bed.

“You know I always beat you, right?” Tails asked.

“Well yeah, but it isn’t about winning or losing…it’s about having fun, right?”

“Hehe, I suppose.” Tails placed a gloved hand on the back of his head as the friends chuckled to each other. He continued exploring the pile at his feet to reveal some board games, a few unopened boxes of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate cookies, some books he’d been meaning to read, and, to the young fox’s surprise, some components, cables, and one of his laptops. Tails studied the disposable bag that housed the components before showing it to the blue hedgehog.

“Why’d you sneak in contraband? The medical staff won’t like this one bit.” 

“That hasn’t stop you from tinkering with your detector and messing around on your watch, has it?”

“I guess not.” Tails laughed again.

“Besides,” Sonic continued, putting his legs up on the bed, wrapping his arms around them for support. “It’s not like a little concussion is gonna stop my bro from working!”

Tails continued looking through the pile. “How did ya know which parts to grab, though?”

“Let’s just say I took a lucky guess,” Sonic replied, giving his younger brother a thumbs up. “I figured the stuff on that workbench you were at before had what you needed, so I grabbed what I could.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Tails replied, placing a gloved finger to his chin.

“I even managed to take a quick shower!” Sonic said before taking a whiff of his armpits. “See! No B.O.” The blue hedgehog pushed his armpit close to his young brother’s face as if to prove his cleanliness.

“No, no, get away!” The orange kitsune chuckled as he pushed the blue blur back, Sonic falling backwards to the opposite side of the bed. Unhurt from the soft landing, Sonic joined the laughter.

_Sonic always manages to put a smile on my face._

“So…wanna play some chess?” Sonic asked, looking through the pile to find the chessboard.

“Umm…no thank you,” Tails replied. “I don’t want to strain my mind _too_ hard right now.”

“Not that you would need to in order to defeat me,” Sonic shot back, Tails giggling in response.

“True, but I’d rather just…” Tails stopped to yawn into his left hand. “…relax a bit.” He turned his watch back on, the projected image of his social media feed materializing above his wrist once more.

“Here, I’ll join ya,” Sonic replied, approaching the opposite side of the bed. He placed the Chaos Emerald detector and screwdriver on the bedside table, pushed the pile of stuff back into the duffle bag, and got in, snuggling against his little brother as he continued swiping through new social media posts. Sonic looked up to get a good view of the projected image, the two chuckling from time to time as the orange kitsune stumbled across the occasional funny post in his feed.

An hour later, Tails’ nurse stepped into his room to check on his recovery. She stopped, however, when she saw Sonic and Tails napping peacefully in bed, Sonic sleeping against his younger brother and Tails’ namesakes wrapped around them. A half-eaten box of cookies was left open on the bed, and small, black crumbs covered their muzzles. The nurse giggled to herself as she quietly pulled a blanket over the two brothers, both still snuggling soundly together, before leaving them to their slumber.

“Tails is lucky to have such a caring friend,” she said to herself as she walked down the hallway, on her way to check on her next patient.

* * *

A week since Eggman escaped from Seaside City, the evil doctor was scheming his next move. That, and bragging about his past accomplishments.

“Wooahhooohoohooo,” Robotnik bellowed, much to the displeasure of Decoe and Bocoe, who were working diligently on improving the energy amplifier. Bocoe set his wrench down and turned to his mechanical brother.

“I bet Eggman is going to say, ‘Those foolish rodents fell right into my trap!’ again.”

“How much you want to bet?”

“Hmmm…let’s go with 20 dollars.”

“You’re on.” The robot companions shook their hands to solidify the deal, out of sight of the evil mastermind who was about to turn to them once more.

“Those foolish rodents fell right into my trap!” Bocoe pulled a small wad of cash out of a compartment on his side and gave it to Decoe as he audibly sighed. “Remind me to never gamble with you again.”

“Quiet, you deficient dunces!” Eggman barked as Decoe slipped his reward away, the oblivious doctor unaware of their bet. “Now, as I was saying, those meddlesome furballs fell for my trick bigtime!”

The two robots continued their work, attempting to drown out this variation of the same speech they’d heard multiple times since Robotnik came back from his successful Seaside City mission.

“Even with Tails’ intelligence and deductive reasoning, he never figured out why I attacked the city in the first place. I don’t mind causing a bit of mayhem every once in a while, but the damage my Elemental Egg Eagle caused was small fish compared to the real prize!” Eggman pulled the green Chaos Emerald from his jacket pocket, glistening in the artificial light that permeated the laboratory, laughing maniacally as he approached a large monitor near the corner of the room. A world map appeared on the screen, complete with seven dots. Three of the dots were hovering over one area while the remaining four were scattered across the rest of Mobius.

“Those lazy brats have been taking it easy while _I’ve_ been hard at work finding a way to locate the Chaos Emeralds without having to rely on that meddlesome hedgehog to do it for me.” As Robotnik was about to continue his speech, he heard the sound of clanging metal from above. He looked up at the large, rectangular air duct that snaked its way across the ceiling of the lab.

“Meh…it was probably nothing,” Eggman said, looking back at his monitor. “My high-tech security system would’ve caught any interlopers anyway.”

_That’s where you’re wrong._

A feminine bat peered through small vents in the airduct above the lab, cursing at herself for her uncharacteristic clumsiness.

_I’ve gotta be more careful or else I’ll be spotted for sure._

The bat was none other than Rouge, a jewel thief who relished the thrill of stealing priceless gems. She wore blue eyeliner and long eyelash extensions, a purple chest piece, black leggings, and silk gloves that, unlike Sonic and friends, were more fashionable than practical.

_Now I need to lay low until I can claim the right opportunity to snag the emeralds._

“Are you two finished with the upgrades to the amplifier yet?” Eggman yelled, his two mechanical minions standing at attention.

“Yes sir,” they said in unison. “The new enhancements will better contain the power of multiple Chaos Emeralds, keeping the lab sturdy and reducing the probability of any malfunctions,” Bocoe said.

“The energy amplifier should be able to handle the power of three Chaos Emeralds with ease,” Decoe added.

“Excellent,” Eggman replied, a grin on his face as he stroked his orange mustache. “All right, let’s test it out.” He placed the green Chaos Emerald into its designated slot next to the red and purple gems and pressed a button on the dashboard. The machine began to hum, increasing in volume as static formed around the tubular machine that stood at the center of the lab.

“See? When you’re not complaining all the time and actually doing your jobs, you’re succ—” Eggman’s backhanded compliment was cut short, however, as the floor beneath them began to shake, the amplifier getting louder as the static grew in intensity. Robotnik quickly shut it down, the machine’s humming gradually slowing as the shutdown protocols were initiated.

“Even _when_ you’re doing your jobs, you _still_ fail miserably!” Eggman yelled, approaching the robotic brothers as they stepped back in unison, their hands forward.

“Please sir, we just need to make a few adjustments,” Decoe begged.

“Yeah, we can fix the problem in no time at all,” Bocoe added. “Just give us some more time.” The two robots knelt before the evil scientist, pleading to be given another chance.

“…very well.” Robotnik calmed down, folding his arms as he looked down at the groveling machines at his feet. “But _I’ll_ be working alongside you. This project is simply too important to be left to my underlings.” 

“Now come,” Eggman continued as he left the lab, “I need you two to prepare my lunch while I take an eggzzellent bath. Can’t exercise my brilliant mind without proper self-care, after all!” As Robotnik marched out of the sliding doors, Decoe picked himself up from the ground.

“Geez, that schtick works every time,” Decoe said, helping his brother up.

“He wouldn’t get rid of us anyway,” Bocoe replied. “He’s too lazy to do all the grunt work we handle, let alone build new robots with intricate AI from scratch!” The duo chuckled to themselves as they followed Eggman out of the lab, activating the room’s security features before they stepped through the sliding doors.

Rouge watched as the lights went out, replaced with various red lasers scattered all around the lab that provided enough illumination for her to see.

“Pllleeeze, this is elementary, my dear Eggman!” Rouge opened the vent and placed the lid to her side before allowing herself to dangle from the opening with her feet. Twisting around, using her eyes and large ears to assess her surroundings, she traced the perfect path to reach the three Chaos Emeralds in her mind.

“Perfect.” She reached her arms up, allowing her feet to fall as she grabbed onto the edge of the air duct opening with her hands. This was followed by a graceful fall to the floor below, landing without making a sound.

Rouge effortlessly maneuvered around the red lasers, as if she were an acrobat bending her limbs at impossible angles, until she arrived at the center console, the three Chaos Emeralds within reach. She opened a small drawstring bag attached to her waist and slowly approached the shimmering emeralds.

“Hmmm…which one shall I choose first?” After about a minute of deliberation, the gem thief selected the green emerald. The moment she placed her gloved hand on the gem, though, an alarm began to blare, and the cylindrical machine at the center of the lab retracted into the ground. Rouge only had the opportunity to grab the single emerald before the others disappeared into the floor.

“Dammit!” Rouge placed the emerald in the small bag and looked around, assessing the situation. Lights were going off everywhere, and the laser turrets scattered along the walls were trained on her location. “I don’t have time to fly back into the air duct, so I’ll just have to break out the old-fashioned way!”

Rouge ran for her life, narrowly dodging the laser shots as she headed for the door. She launched herself feet first and spun her body like a tornado, blasting the double doors off their foundations as she entered the relative safety of the hallway beyond.

“My screw kick always does the trick!” She continued running until she reached the control room. The bat stared out the large windows of the command center as she planned to break through them to make her escape.

“Not so fast, my thieving little friend,” came a voice from behind. Rouge turned to find Dr. Eggman wearing a bath robe. “How _dare_ you try to steal my emeralds, and when I’m trying to get some R n’ R, no less! Your insolence knows no bounds.”

“Whatever, Eggy,” Rouge replied, brushing off Robotnik’s comments. “I’m through here.” She ran for the window, charging her screw kick as she collided with the hard glass. To the astonishment of the bat, though, the window didn’t break at all; it remained unscratched, let alone cracked, her body ricocheting to the floor below.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Eggman condescendingly waved his finger at the jewel thief. “My windows are made of a transparent alloy that not even you can break!” He entered into a bout of maniacal laughter as his robotic servants entered the control center.

“Dr. Eggman,” Bocoe began, carrying a large sub sandwich on an even larger plate. “Your lunch is ready.”

“I’ll have you know,” Decoe added, “that we both crafted this sandwich together, so we should get equal credit.”

“Fascinating,” Eggman replied, shooing the two robots away, grabbing the sandwich off the plate in the process. “Now go summon my army of robots to capture this bat!” The mechanical brothers looked forward to find Rouge, who had since recovered from her attempt to break through the window.

“An intruder!” Decoe exclaimed.

“We’ll request help right away!” Bocoe added. Dropping the sandwich plate, they took their places at separate consoles and rapidly input some commands.

“A group of robots are coming to apprehend the intruder as we speak,” Bocoe said, turning around to face the doctor.

“And the rest of your army is keeping security tight within and around the base just in case,” Decoe added.

“Wooahhooohoohooo.” Eggman’s laugh echoed throughout the command center before turning his attention back to the jewel thief. “You see, even if you take down a few of my minions, there is absolutely no way you’ll be able to escape.” The doctor sat at the central command chair while taking a few bites out of his sandwich, the sound of robots approaching from the hallway. “Ahh, just in time!” Eggman exclaimed between another bite. “Rouge, consider yourself eggzzterminated!”

Rouge ignored the maniacal laughter coming from the evil doctor, instead focusing her attention on the hallway as dozens of robots entered the circular room, Eggman, Decoe, and Bocoe sitting on the sidelines as they prepared to witness an entertaining show.

“Apprehend this interloper, by any means necessary!” Eggman commanded.

_Well…shoot._

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed Chapter 5! Chapter 6 will be uploaded on Friday, July 3 by 6:30 PM United States Central Time (CST).**


	6. Flying Toward Freedom

“H…hey! No fair, Sonic!”

“Haha, ya snooze, ya lose, pal!”

Tails shook his videogame controller in frustration as Sonic’s character sped past him, having hit the orange kitsune’s kart with heat-seeking missiles, causing him to spin out of control and off the cliffside racetrack. Seconds later, his car materialized back onto the asphalt, ready to race once more. Holding the trigger button on his controller, Tails accelerated, his tires screeching as he ripped down the raceway, eager to take his revenge on the blue hedgehog.

They were now on the final lap. Sonic, who maintained the lead over his little brother and the other competitors, heard the sound of another kart rapidly approaching. The blue hedgehog chuckled to himself as he dropped spiked tacks from the back of his car.

“You think you’re _sooo_ clever, don’t you?” Tails expertly dodged the tacks and deployed his own weapon; a banana cream pie launched itself from a spring in the back of his kart, landing squarely on the hedgehog’s character as his vision became obscured.

“Ah, shoot!” Sonic spun out of control and crashed into the side of the mountain, the orange kitsune passing him by as the blue hedgehog reversed his vehicle, hoping to catch up before the end of the race. By the time Sonic crossed the finish line, though, Tails was already spinning donuts, confetti raining over him as the crowd cheered his victory.

“You win this time,” Sonic took off his headset and set his controller down, looking at the young fox beside him on the hospital bed, “but I’ll prove victorious next time!”

“Oh yeah?” Tails pulled his own headset off his triangular ears. “Well, I guess you could say you were… _too slow_.”

Sonic watched as his younger brother broke into a fit of laughter.

“I’ll make you eat those words!” Sonic jumped onto the orange fox, tickling him on his sides, causing him to laugh even more, waving his arms and kicking his legs as the blue blur enacted his revenge.

“Now you’re playin’ dirty!”

“How ‘bout this,” Sonic pulled himself off the young kitsune and sat back on his side of the bed, “best two of three: winner does all the chores for a week.”

“Oh, you’re on! Just don’t come cryin’ to me when you’re eating dirt again!”

As they put their headsets back on, though, they heard a feminine voice at the doorway, clearing her throat to get their attention. The nurse approached the two brothers, disapprovingly staring at the orange and blue laptops that sat in front of their respective owners.

“I thought we urged against screen time, Mr. Prower?”

“Hehehe, well…” Tails placed a hand behind his head in embarrassment. “I figured that I’d reward myself after finishing all my books.” He pointed at the stack of thick texts sitting on the bedside table, the nurse wondering how he had managed to read them all in such a short amount of time. “Besides, I’m feeling a whole lot better, and it has been five days anyway.”

“Ya can’t refute that logic, Miss,” Sonic added, patting Tails on the shoulder.

“In any case,” she continued, ignoring the fox’s arguments, “the doctors are approving your discharge. You’ve healed quite remarkably since entering our care, and we believe you’ve gotten well enough to finish recovering at home.”

“Great!” Tails exclaimed, jumping out of bed. “Now I just gotta grab my stuff, and we can be outta here.”

“Hold on there.” the nurse placed her hand on Tails’ shoulder. “Be sure to sign out with the front desk before you leave.”

“Will do, Miss!” Tails replied, giving her a thumbs up. He continued packing his belongings as the nurse took her leave, closing the door behind her.

“Ever hear back from the shop?” Sonic leaned back on the bed, his hands propping up his head.

“Oh yeah.” Tails turned around to face the blue hedgehog. “They said my plane is ready to go! The manager even moved it by semi-truck to the local airstrip.”

“That’s just a hop, skip, n’ a jump from h—” Sonic was interrupted by a gurgling sound coming from the orange fox.

Tails looked down and placed a hand on his belly. Looking back up at the blue hedgehog, he blushed in embarrassment, laughing nervously to himself.

“I’ve gotcha covered, pal.” Sonic got up and approached the window, pointing out into the distance. “See that park? They have this fantastic chili dog vendor there. We can stop on the way…my treat!”

“You know full well we share finances.” Tails smirked, taking his gloved hand off his gut and playfully punching Sonic in the arm.

“Yeah, I know.” Sonic took in a deep breath of the fresh, early-afternoon air. “I’ll do the heavy lifting and place the order for ya, then. Sound good?”

“Hehe, sure,” Tails replied, the two brothers sharing a laugh.

“Alright, then. Time to finish packing.”

Sonic closed the window and helped Tails fill the two duffel bags. Looking around to ensure they didn’t forget anything, the duo turned off the lights, took the elevator down to the first floor, and checked out with the front desk.

“Fresh chili dogs with the works, here we come!” Sonic exclaimed as the two walked through the automatic doors, eager to satiate their hunger and return home.

* * *

Rouge entered a fighting stance as Eggman’s robots stormed the command center. She was quickly surrounded by a group of oval-shaped, orange soldiers with turquoise eyes and wide smiles made of glowing panels. Surrounding the outer perimeter of these Egg Pawns were a small, albeit more fearsome group of Egg Knights, who had a similar shape as the Pawns but were covered in silver armor and sported pointy shields and large javelins.

“Wooahhooohoohooo.” Eggman’s laugh echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the walls and causing the bat’s sensitive ears to ring. “My mechanical minions will _ensure_ you are captured. ATTAAAAACK!” Eggman sat back down in his chair, polishing off his sandwich as the Egg Pawns approached the jewel thief.

“I don’t like getting my hands dirty,” Rouge said, tightening her silk gloves, “but you gave this girl no other choice.”

She rushed forward and punched the nearest Egg Pawn, causing it to fly backward, knocking over a few more robots before colliding with the metal wall on the opposite side of the room. Taking no time to catch her breath, she approached the next Egg Pawn, knocking it over with a roundhouse kick, rotating her leg around as she made a winding jump, her boot cracking its outer shell as it fell to its side, knocking over several more like dominoes.

“I’ve got to say, she is pretty good,” Decoe said, sitting comfortably on the sidelines with his mechanical brother.

“I agree. She is not only a good sneak, she is also adept at fighting,” Bocoe replied.

“Quit your blabbering and call in some reinforcements!” Eggman yelled, pointing at his minions with teeth clenched.

“Yessir!” they said in unison before returning to their posts, using their computers to redirect a few more groups of robots to converge on the command center.

Meanwhile, Rouge took flight, using her wings to effortlessly maneuver in the air. After dodging a javelin attack from an Egg Knight, she grabbed the weapon from the robot, which still held its handle, and dragged it around the circular room, knocking over its mechanical comrades like bowling pins.

“There!” Rouge’s eyes were fixed on the exit, now cleared of the soldiers still recovering from their fall. She swooped into the passageway, landing gracefully on the floor before dropping to one knee to collect her breath. Wiping sweat from her brow, she looked behind to see a group of robots running toward her while the rest were still on the floor. “No time for beauty rest just yet.”

The jewel thief ran down the hallway, stopping at a large stairwell.

“Hmmm…” Rouge placed a finger to her chin as she devised the rest of her escape plan. “There should be some sort of roof access above. If I can get to the top of Eggman’s fortress, I should be able to fly on out of here no problem.”

She climbed several flights of stairs until she reached the top floor, placing her hands on the metal bar on the door leading to the roof as she took a few moments to catch her breath. Rouge had plenty of time before the slower Egg Pawns would catch up with her.

Meanwhile, Robotnik monitored Rouge’s progress through his monitor, toggling through various security camera live feeds as the bat made her way up the building.

“Decoe! Bocoe! Ready the outside lasers! We’ll see to it she doesn’t escape with _my_ Chaos Emerald.”

“Aye aye!” they responded in unison, preparing the weapons scattered all along the perimeter of the fortress, which included hundreds of yards of concreted land surrounding the building, lasers mounted on several patrol towers and along the central building itself. The gate surrounding the fortress was electrified, and the single exit to the encampment was guarded by an army of Egg Pawns and several large mechs, ready to attack on sight.

“She may’ve slipped through my fingers for now, but she’ll soon be back in the palm of my hands.” Eggman formed a fist and raised it in the air, laughing maniacally as his mechanical minions finished preparing the remainder of the fortress’ defenses.

“Has Eggman finally fallen off the deep end?” Bocoe asked his brother with a whispered voice.

“You assume he hasn’t already,” Decoe replied, using a metallic hand to partially cover his mouth.

“Quit your yapping and be on the lookout for Rouge!” Eggman yelled, his eyes studying the jewel thief through his monitor as she recovered from her sprint up the stairs and pushed through the door.

Rouge found herself on the roof of the building, rain dripping down her face as she observed her surroundings. Beyond a few cubicle cooling units and a helicopter on the far side, there appeared to be nothing abnormal waiting for her on the roof. When she peered down to the ground below, though, her heart stopped as she realized just how much danger she’d have to overcome if she wanted to escape alive. She watched as various robots and mechs of all sizes circled the building, covering virtually the entire area surrounding the fortress. She also noticed the towers scattered around the area of the base were buzzing with energy, searchlights roaming the perimeter and laser turrets searching for their target, a far cry from the defenses she deactivated when she first invaded the fortress.

“This is hopeless.” Turning around, she glanced over once more at the unoccupied helicopter. “Wait a minute…maybe this is my ticket out of here?” Rouge walked toward the vehicle, getting a good look at the flying machine before her.

“With my wings, I wouldn’t have enough momentum to gain the height needed to bypass Eggman’s defenses,” She opened the door to the helicopter, surprised to find it unlocked, “but with this bad boy, I could fly up high and be out of range of Eggy’s attacks.”

She sat down in the driver’s seat, staring at the buttons, levers, and knobs along the dashboard. “The only problem is I’ve never flown one of these before.” She shrugged her shoulders and analyzed the controls. While Rouge never operated a helicopter in her life, she had experience flying other forms of aerial transportation, so not all hope was lost.

“Let’s see…” Rouge flipped some switches on the dashboard and turned a key, bringing the helicopter to life. “Ah yeah, now we’re talking!”

Flipping a few more nodes, the propellers began to spin. Pulling the joystick in front of her, the flying machine lifted itself from the ground, hovering in place as the jewel thief plotted her next course of action.

“Let’s see…to be safe, I should probably fly this thing as high as it’ll go before leaving the area.” Rouge maneuvered the helicopter upward, the contraption wobbling as it gained height, her inexperience clearly showing.

Eggman watched the entire take-off through a security camera on the roof.

“Blast that bat! Why’d I leave the keys in there in the first place?” Robotnik’s face turned red as he slammed his fist against the dashboard.

“A more important question,” Decoe whispered to his brother, “is why he even has a helicopter in the first place.”

“I’ll have you know,” Eggman replied, having become adept at comprehending their whispered speech, “that evil geniuses like myself bent on world domination enjoy a little fun every once in a while, and a helicopter is more exciting to pilot than my silky smooth Egg Mobile.”

“But enough about that,” Eggman barked, pointing a gloved hand at his robotic servants. “Shoot her out of the sky before she gets away!”

Decoe and Bocoe returned to their stations, taking control of the nearest laser turrets positioned around the headquarters and the surrounding watchtowers. By this point, their efforts appeared futile, as low visibility and the helicopter’s current height made accurate aiming almost impossible.

“We’re losing visual contact,” Decoe said.

“Rouge is almost out of our range,” Bocoe added.

“Give me that!” Eggman pushed Bocoe off his chair, remotely taking control of one of the large mechs stationed near the outer perimeter near the gates. Using his keyboard and mouse, Robotnik was able to expertly maneuver his large, silver mech through the perspective of the live feed camera built within its digital eyes.

“Now let’s see…” Eggman tilted the mech’s head up and zoomed its vision until he spotted the helicopter off in the distance. With a few more clicks of the keyboard, Robotnik locked on to the target and fired multiple laser blasts at the escaping helicopter. Eggman enhanced the image further, allowing the party to see black smoke billowing from the helicopter’s engine.

“Darn it!” Eggman yelled.

“But it looks like you hit your target, doctor,” Bocoe said, pointing at the monitor from behind the evil genius.

“That may be true,” he replied, “but by the time the helicopter is forced to ground, Rouge will be long gone.”

Robotnik turned around to face the two mechanical brothers once more. “I want you to follow the trajectory of the helicopter and inspect the crash zone. See if you can recover the Chaos Emerald she stole.”

Giving Eggman a salute, Decoe and Bocoe ran out of the command center. Eggman sat back down, watching the monitor as the helicopter flew away, black smoke lingering in the air as Rouge disappeared completely from the mech’s enhanced field of vision.

“One day, she _will_ pay.”

“Mark my words.”

* * *

“It looks like I’m home free.” Rouge leaned the joystick forward as she flew the helicopter away from Eggman’s base. “What a sap! Leaving your keys in the helicopter was a rookie mistake.”

Before she could gloat further, though, she heard a loud explosion behind her. Peeking out the window on the right-hand door, she gasped as she saw black smoke coming out of the engine from behind the cockpit, creating a cloudy trail as the flying machine began to slowly lose altitude.

“Dammit!” Rouge sat back down in the pilot’s chair, watching as flashing lights lit her dashboard. “Yeah yeah, I know!” Maneuvering the craft once more, she discovered that she was still able to control the direction of the helicopter, even if she could no longer raise her altitude.

“Uffdah.” Rouge wiped her brow and leaned back in her chair. “That’s a relief. I can just glide down to safety and ditch this hunk of junk when I’m back on solid ground.”

Unfortunately for the jewel thief, though, the helicopter’s engine had other plans.

Rouge heard another explosion from behind. Looking out the window once more, she watched in horror as fire engulfed the back of the helicopter, the vehicle rapidly losing altitude. Looking forward, the bat saw an island in the distance. Rubbing her eyes to ensure her vision wasn’t deceiving her, she found the island floating above the ocean waters below.

“That must be Angel Island!” She surmised that the helicopter should be able to reach the island before descending too low, and it was her only opportunity to avoid the water, so with what little control she had left over the careening aircraft, the bat glided in the direction of the island.

Another few minutes went by. The helicopter was now over the floating island, approaching dangerously close to the trees below. Rouge opened the left-most door and peered down at the ground. Taking a deep breath, she dove out, planning to use her wings to escape unscathed. As she jumped, however, she collided directly with a large oak tree, hitting her head against the thick bark as she fell to the forest floor.

A 60-foot fall would’ve easily killed the jewel thief, but the branches covering the length of the tree broke her descent every 10 feet or so, leaving bruises and scratches instead of life-threatening injuries. Nevertheless, she was nearly unconscious by the time she reached the forest floor, her body sprawled out near the base of the oak tree, leaves slowly falling to the ground, landing on and around the bat, her body soaked with rainwater as the storm continued its downpour.

If Rouge were awake, she’d have been thankful to be outside the vicinity of the helicopter, which brought several trees down with it before exploding, fire spewing from the smoldering mess of twisted metal as the flames engulfed the wreckage and spread to the trees surrounding the crash.

* * *

After their fight with Dr. Eggman, there was a mutual, unspoken understanding that Sonic would look over the young kitsune in the hospital while Knuckles, the sole guardian of the Master Emerald, would return to his duties on Angel Island.

And that is exactly what he did.

Whereas the trip from the island to Seaside City took about 15 minutes, thanks to the speed of the Tornado 2, Knuckles’ journey home took half a day; after walking the entire way, climbing up a mountain to allow himself to safely glide down to the floating Island, he chose to celebrate by napping on top of the Master Emerald for the remainder of the evening.

A week went by without issue. He used the time to relax after the battle with Eggman, thankfully not having sustained any injuries. He called Sonic and Tails in the hospital from time to time, otherwise electing to take it easy; from Knuckles’ perspective, the brotherly duo was more than suitable to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds, even if their efforts would be delayed. His true purpose was to guard the most important one of all: the Master Emerald, the source of the Chaos Emeralds’ power, a mystical gem that could grant any evildoer the ability to spread untold chaos and destruction across Mobius.

And so he guarded the Master Emerald, as he had always done, sitting on the stone steps of the shrine deep in thought, allowing the rain to pour over his fur as he pondered recent events.

_That Tails is certainly a resilient little fox. He’ll stop at nothing to help his friends. For such a little guy, he always seems to put his life on the line to thwart Eggman’s schemes._

“Definitely commendable,” Knuckles turned around and peered up at the Master Emerald, “but the shock he gave himself up there, and the battle at Seaside City…maybe Sonic should have him sit things out going forward.” He looked at his feet and crossed his arms. “I get the strangest feeling things are only going to get hairier from here.”

“But still…” The red echidna walked up the stone steps and observed the Master Emerald, the sprinkling rain rolling off the perfectly cut gem. “Tails’ dream about the Master Emerald…and surviving that intense shock with mere bruises on his hands…maybe fate is drawing Tails into this ordeal? Maybe it is the _will_ of the Master Emerald beckoning Tails play a role in the events to come?”

Knuckles’ monologue was cut short by the sound of an explosion in the distance, black smoke bellowing into the sky.

“What’s this? Is the island under attack?” Knuckles scanned the dark sky above, not seeing an aerial assault or signs of a fleet preparing to wage a fight on his turf. “No…but whatever it was, I need to investigate.” The red echidna ran down the shrine’s steps and toward the direction of the explosion.

Navigating through the thick forest of the island was effortless for Knuckles. After all, as the sole occupant and caretaker of the floating island, it was his duty to know every square meter of his ancestral land.

Pushing thick foliage away, Knuckles emerged from a patch of tall grass to find what remained of a downed helicopter and scorched trees surrounding the crash site, the fire having since been put out by the intensifying storm. Investigating the charred remains of the aircraft, he found the cockpit empty, as well as the surrounding area of the crash site.

“Hmmm…” Knuckles placed a gloved finger on his chin. “No bodies, no survivors…no sign that someone was actually piloting this thing. They must’ve jumped out before impact.”

Proving his theory, a feminine voice could be heard in the distance. He approached the groaning sounds, the noise becoming more audible with each passing step, until he found Rouge on the ground, scratched, bruised, and seemingly unable to move.

“Hey, I know you. You’re that jewel thief who tried to steal the Master Emerald before.” Rouge didn’t reply, instead moaning in pain, not having enough energy to carry on a conversation.

“Well, it’d only be right to make sure you’re okay.” The red echidna inspected the bat before him, moving her arms and legs gently. “Nothing appears broken, but—” Knuckles was interrupted by the bat herself, who shot up, pushing him to the ground as she intently stared at him, crossing her arms.

“What do you think you’re doing? I hope you weren’t up to any funny business!”

“W…what?” Knuckles blushed as he looked up at the angry bat above him. “I’d never do anything like that, you ungrateful bat!”

“S..sure…” Rouge began to say, her sassy attitude giving way as she fell back to the ground, too exhausted and banged up to continue taunting the red echidna.

Knuckles pulled himself up and observed the injured bat, checking her pulse before picking her up and slinging her across his right shoulder.

_I don’t like the thought of bringing that bat anywhere near the Master Emerald, but I can best tend to her wounds at home. She better not try and take the Master Emerald once she is recovered…_

The red echidna made careful strides in the direction of his cabin, Rouge unwittingly along for the ride.

* * *

Tails looked up at the sky, observing the dark clouds beginning to creep in from the distance. He shivered at the thought of a thunderstorm, especially considering his current location: an open park the length of a few blocks in Seaside City. Trying to suppress his fears, the fox looked over at Sonic, who was about to order food from a small vendor as he sat at a nearby picnic table, keeping the duffel bags by his side.

“I’ll have a dozen chili dogs with the works!” Sonic slapped a palm on the vendor’s counter as he placed his order.

“Ahh, m’best customer Sonic!” exclaimed the chef, a portly pig dressed in a white apron, a large snout covering his pink face. “A dozen fully-loaded chili dogs comin’ up!”

Before Sonic knew it, the chili dogs were complete, piled up like a pyramid on a large plate. The fresh, brown chili was still bubbling as it completely submerged each deluxe-sized hot dog and their accompanying buns, dripping to the chili dogs below like a multi-layered fountain. For added measure, the chef sprinkled a healthy dose of shredded cheddar cheese over the hotdog pyramid, the cheese instantly melting into gooey goodness upon contact with the searing hot chili.

Sonic began to drool as he eyed the mythical creations before him while mindlessly fumbling in his wallet for cash. The blue hedgehog tossed a bill to the chef, his eyes widening in shock as he inspected the payment.

“Hey Sonic, the dogs were only 25 dollars. I think you overpaid.”

“Keep the change, ol’ friend.” Sonic grabbed the plate of chili dogs as he made his way back to the picnic table. As the hedgehog walked away, the chef eyed the 100-dollar bill carefully before placing it in the safety of the cash register.

“My best customer indeed...”

Tails looked on as Sonic walked toward him, careful to balance the plate so the hand-crafted dogs would survive the brief journey to the table. Sure enough, the chili dogs arrived unscathed; Sonic placed the plate at the center of the table and sat down across from the orange kitsune.

The two brothers grabbed their first serving, the blue hedgehog devouring a full hotdog with a few large bites while the young fox ate with more care. Given Sonic’s speed, the hotdog pyramid blocking the two from seeing across the table was quickly reduced to a small pile. Unsurprisingly, the blue blur ate most of the chili dogs, but Tails didn’t mind; he was approaching maximum capacity anyway.

Letting out a loud belch, the hedgehog quickly covered his mouth.

“Excuse me!”

The duo laughed, Tails pinching his nose with one hand and waving the other in front of his face for comedic effect before returning to the half-eaten hotdog on his plate. Sonic laid down on the bench on his side of the picnic table in satisfaction, placing his hands behind his head for support.

“So,” Tails began, as he polished off his hotdog, wiping away excess chili from his muzzle with a napkin. “What’s the plan now? As far as we know, Eggman may’ve collected all the Chaos Emeralds by now.”

“You know me, Tails,” Sonic replied, reaching for a half-eaten chili dog while lying on the long seat, throwing it up in the air, catching it in his mouth, and swallowing it whole. “I’m usually not the plannin’ type o’ guy. I leave that sort of thing to you.”

“I suppose.” Tails placed a hand on his utility belt, feeling the Chaos Emerald detector within, a pang of guilt creeping out of the young kitsune’s subconscious once more.

The two brothers sat in silence, enjoying the fresh air on their faces, as they spent the last few moments of relaxation together before committing themselves to discovering Eggman’s ultimate plan.

_Surely that attack on Seaside City must’ve had some purpose. Otherwise, what was the point?_

Tails pondered to himself in silence as he rested his arms on the table, using them as a support for his head as he stared blankly in front of him.

“Regardless of our plan,” Sonic interrupted Tails’ train of thought, sitting up and looking at his younger brother across the table, “I’m just happy you’re feeling better and will be by my side the rest of the way.”

Tails smiled brightly in response to the blue hedgehog’s warm comments.

_I couldn’t imagine staying in that hospital without Sonic there with me. He’s been such a good friend. I’ll do what I can to stop Eggman’s latest scheme…for both of our sakes._

“Why the serious face all of a sudden?” Sonic stared intently at his younger brother, whose face was tightened up and eyes narrowed, as if filled with a new sense of determination.

“Oh, sorry…” Tails placed a hand behind his head in embarrassment.

“You don’t need to apologize for being yourself, buddy.” Sonic reached over the table to rustle the kitsune’s hair. “Always be yourself…remember that.”

“I will, Sonic.” Tails smiled as the blue hedgehog sat back down, his hand rubbing his bulging belly. “Let’s say we grab a doggy bag and bring the rest of these chili dogs home?”

“You bet!” Tails patted his own belly in satisfaction.

As Sonic got up from his seat, though, a familiar voice could be heard from several yards away, calling him from a distance. She didn’t seem to be very pleased to see the blue hedgehog.

“Ah geez…” Sonic tried to rub the displeasure from his face before the confrontation commenced.

“SONIC! You have some explaining to do!”

“Ohh, hiya Ames! What’s happenin’?”

“Don’t _what’s happenin’_ me, Sonic!” Amy Rose was dressed in her red skirt, sporting shorter quills than the self-described blue boyfriend before her.

“Did I do somethin’ wrong?” Sonic placed his hands forward as if to impede the angry pink hedgehog, fire growing in her eyes as her teeth clenched in anger. As she stepped forward, the angry girlfriend materialized her Piko Piko hammer from her hammerspace.

“What? You don’t remember?” Amy asked sarcastically, setting the hammer down and folding her arms as she looked away from the duo’s picnic table.

“Why don’t you tell us what Sonic forgot, Amy?” Tails assumed Sonic was at fault, which was generally the standard order of things in their relationship.

“Alright,” Amy exhaled deeply, ignoring the blue hedgehog next to her, “but _only_ for Tails’ sake.” Looking at the concerned fox, she continued. “Sonic and I had a date scheduled last week, but he _totally_ bailed on me! I’ve been planning it for _weeks_ , had the outfit picked out, even had food catered in. But…” tears welled-up in the pink hedgehog’s eyes as she finished her story. “Sonic never showed up! I waited for _hours_ but still no sign. I had to throw out all the food, too!”

“And worst of all,” she looked menacingly at the blue hedgehog beside her, “he didn’t even bother to answer his phone!”

“Amy, I…”

“No excuses, Sonic!” Amy waved a gloved finger in his face. “You’ve done this to me so many times, I’ve lost track.”

“I know, but…”

“No buts, Sonic!”

“But…”

“What did I just say?”

Sonic brushed a hand through his blue quills as sweat rolled down his brow.

“This time I had a good reason.”

“So you _admit_ all the other excuses were BAD?” She turned her face away, her arms still folded. Amy was caught off-guard, however, when Sonic grabbed her hands, the pink hedgehog allowing her arms to fall at his unexpected touch.

“Look Amy, I’m sorry for forgetting our date. Honestly, but you see…Tails…” Sonic’s voice began to crack as he turned away from his girlfriend. “Tails was in the hospital.”

“Not good enough, S—” Amy stopped halfway through her rejection, so prepared to remain mad at her boyfriend that it took a while to process Sonic’s words. “Tails…was in the hospital?” Amy’s attention turned toward the orange kitsune, who was watching quietly.

“O…Oh…”

In all her years chasing the blue blur, and listening to his endless barrage of lame excuses, she hadn’t quite heard one like this, a reason that was both truthful and sincere. She looked back at Sonic, whose eyes were closed, arms folded, and head down, his face somber as if in deep thought.

“Yes, well…I’m fine now, though.” Tails scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. “I suppose you’d like to hear more?”

“…Yeah.” She couldn’t find anything else to say. Instead, she joined the company as they sat back down at the table, leaning against her blue boyfriend as the orange kitsune recounted the events that transpired, nibbling on one of the leftover, lukewarm chili dogs in front of her.

“I heard Eggman was defeated a week ago, but the media coverage didn’t mention your injuries.”

“No, I guess not…” Tails’ turned away from the hedgehog couple, shifting his gaze to the sky above. “People don’t seem to care about sidekicks, huh?”

Sonic opened his eyes as he noticed Tails’ voice begin to trail off, sadness returning to his younger brother’s face once more.

“People care about ya, Tails.” The blue hedgehog pulled himself away from the pink hedgehog, Amy nearly falling over from the sudden loss of support. “They were just more worried about Eggman’s destruction is all.”

“And besides,” Sonic gave Tails a thumbs up, “you’re not one for publicity, am I right?”

“I suppose.” A smile returned to Tails’ face. 

_Sonic always knows what to say. I don’t know what I’d do without him..._

Sonic chuckled, itching his nose while grinning at his younger brother. “Well, we should probably mosey on out of here.” As Sonic got up to grab a to-go bag from the vendor, Amy stopped him with her intimidating voice.

“Hold on, Sonic…you _may_ be off the hook this time, but I have my eye on you, so I’m coming with!”

The blue hedgehog turned around, itching the quills on the back of his head.

“Well…the more the merrier!” Sonic chuckled nervously as he walked backward to the vendor, grabbing a bag from a dispenser.

Storing away the delectable leftovers in the doggy bag, the trio made their way to the hangar where the fixed-up Tornado 2 was stored, itching to get home in order to plan their next move.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Chapter 7 will be uploaded no later than Sunday, July 12 at 6:30 PM United States Central Time.**


	7. Green Light Ride

Sonic, Tails, and Amy made their way to the airport hangar, traversing through the busy downtown streets of Seaside City.

Tails looked down at his duffel bag, switching hands to give his right arm a break before peering back up at the never-ending barrage of pedestrians clogging the sidewalk, perhaps a normal sight for a city dweller but utterly claustrophobic for the small fox who lived in near solitude.

_If only we didn’t have these bags, I could fly us to the hangar no problem._

Instead, the gang stood along the side of a busy street corner, vehicles passing by as the heroes waited for the pedestrian crossing sign to light up.

Amy folded her arms and sighed, watching the stream of cars travel either direction. 

“Why is this taking so long? Do you think the light’s busted, Tails?” Amy turned to the orange fox, who was staring at his feet, a blank expression on his face.

_It felt like Eggman was waiting for us to arrive. Did he just want to pick a fight for kicks, or was it a trap to lure us in to steal the Chaos Emerald?_

“Tails?”

_But how would Eggman have known we’d have th…_

“Tails!”

“Wooahh, what?” Tails shook his head and looked forward, an angry pink hedgehog staring back at him.

“I was just asking if you thought…” She was interrupted by the clicking sound of the pedestrian crossing signal, the LED red hand transitioning to an image of a walking Mobian.

“…never mind.” The trio walked across the street, Sonic propping his head up with his hands while Amy walked alongside her self-described boyfriend. The young kitsune, meanwhile, remained a few feet behind the two hedgehogs, walking aimlessly. 

_Surely there is no other logical explanation. Eggman is sadistic, sure, but even_ his _motives go beyond mindless destruction._

“Yo Tails, wanna step it up a bit?” Sonic spun around, walking backward as he observed his little brother falling behind, a frown on his face.

_No. This is the only possible reason. Eggman has…_

The orange kitsune collided with Sonic’s belly. Falling to his back, he rubbed his backside with closed eyes, lightly bruised from the surprise fall.

“Owww.” He looked up to find his older brother, a friendly hand reaching down to him, a smile on his face.

“Ya gotta be careful where you’re walkin’, lil’ bro.”

“Thanks, Sonic.” Miles grabbed hold of Sonic’ hand, allowing himself to be pulled up.

“You’ve been quiet this whole time. Somethin’ on your mind?”

“Well, yeah…” Tails placed his hands on his forehead, trying to retrace his thoughts.

“Wait…” Tails’ body froze, wearing a blank facial expression as he stared at the bag to his side, busy Mobians stepping by him.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Sonic placed his hand on Tails’ shoulder as the young fox peered back up at the blue hedgehog.

“We’re in _big_ trouble.”

“What d’ya mean?” Sonic chuckled nervously as he slowly retracted his hand.

“We’ve gotta move!” The determined fox sprang forward, running in the direction of the hangar, passing Amy as his namesakes began to rotate. He hardly made it a half city block, however, before he was stopped by the blue blur, whizzing past him and blocking his path.

“Okay, mind sharin’ what’s gotten you all worked up?” Sonic observed the surprised kitsune, who breathed deeply before letting out a big sigh.

“Eggman can detect Chaos Emeralds.”

“What? You mean like the detector you have?”

“Well, yeah…if it worked.” Tails grabbed his dangling left arm with his right hand, his lips quivering as his eyes met the sidewalk. Sonic frowned as he looked down at the troubled fox before him.

_Shoot…why’d I have to go n’ bring that up?_

Amy caught up to the brotherly duo, dragging the duffel bags with either hand with great effort.

“What’s going on here guys?” Amy asked between labored breaths, joining Sonic in peering at the orange kitsune. Looking back at the two hedgehogs, he sighed once more.

_This’ll be faster if I just explain myself._

“You see,” Tails sat on a nearby sidewalk bench, Amy and Sonic joining him, “Eggman _must’ve_ known we had a Chaos Emerald at home, so he attacked the city to lure us out and snag it for himself.” The fox’s fist collided with the palm of his other hand. “It’s the _only_ reason why attacking downtown made any sense at all.”

“Suppose you’re right.” Sonic leaned closer to his younger brother. “How would he know we’d bring it with us?”

“Well…I…” Tails looked at his dangling feet in front of him before swinging back around to face the blue hedgehog. “…He could’ve had some Egg Pawns infiltrate the workshop while we were away.”

“True…” Sonic raised a gloved hand to his chin. “Hey Ames, what do you think?”

“Sounds possible. Why else would Eggman attack the city without an army of robots backing him up? He _clearly_ wasn’t planning on taking over the city by himself.” With arms crossed and eyes closed, Amy nodded to herself. “I think Tails is right.”

Tails stood up and watched the passing vehicles on the road in front of him, his fists balling up as he sniffled, trying to hold back tears.

“You okay, buddy?” Sonic joined his little brother, wrapping his right arm around Tails’ back and placing his hand on the kitsune’s shoulder. He continued sniffling, a small tear escaping from his closed eyes before pushing the blue hedgehog away, kicking a metal garbage can off its foundation, trash spewing along the side of the road.

“I’m such an idiot, Sonic!” The fox collapsed to his knees, tears pouring out of his eyes as he cried in frustration. “I’ve been lounging around for an _entire week_ while Eggman has been collecting the Chaos Emeralds.” He looked back up at the concerned, speechless hedgehog, his vision obscured. “Why didn’t I realize it sooner, Sonic!?” Slamming his fist against the pavement multiple times, he cried through the pain reverberating through his recovering hand.

“It’s okay, Tails.” Sonic got down to his knee, gently pushing the distressed fox’s chin up with his hand, the two brothers locking eyes. “No one realized what was goin’ on, and you needed that time to recover.” The blue hedgehog offered his hand to Tails once more, who accepted it, allowing his older brother to pull him up from the sidewalk. “Even _if_ we went after Eggman sooner, I would have had to go it alone...and there is _no way_ I would’ve fought Eggman’s mechs without you by my side.”

“…Sonic…” Tails stared at his older brother, his tears still flowing as he approached him with arms forward. The two brothers shared a long hug, Sonic patting Tails on the back as he felt a few drips roll down his chest. Sonic’s warm touch helped soothe the young fox, whose tears eventually ebbed, the orange kitsune resting his face against his older brother.

Sonic gently pulled himself away from the young fox, still holding him by the shoulders as he got a good look at Tails’ face, his muzzle covered with tears. Using the back of his gloved fingers, Sonic dried the tears around his eyes before running his hands through Tails’ fluffy muzzle, capturing as much of the moisture as he could before stepping back once more.

“So…wanna go kick Eggman’s butt?”

Tails smiled, wiping his nose with his arm before nodding approvingly.

“Hey guys.” Sonic and Tails turned around to see Amy standing next to an open taxi door. “With our luggage, it’ll be faster to get there by car, so let’s go!”

“Right!” the brothers said in unison, grabbing their bags and throwing them into the trunk before getting in the backseat on either side of the pink hedgehog, all but forgetting the garbage strewn along the sidewalk from the toppled garbage can, now blowing across the street.

“The airport, please.”

“Alright, Miss.” The cab driver, a Mobian skunk with sunglasses, tipped his ivy cap before pulling into traffic.

The party remaining silent for several minutes before the blue hedgehog began to fidget in his seat, tapping his foot against the floor of the car.

“Man, this stinks.” Sonic crossed his arms, looking out the window as he watched pedestrians slowly walk up and down the sidewalk across the street.

“Hey man, hope you’re not talkin’ about me.” The driver peered at the blue hedgehog through the rearview mirror.

“No, no! I meant…our speed! We’re going _so slow_.” Sonic looked back up at the driver, nervously matching the glare he received from the cabbie. Amy cleared her throat.

“What he _meant_ to say was that we’re in a rush and will pay you double if you get us to the airport faster.”

“Ohh, why didn’t you say so?” The driver’s demeanor instantly changed as he pulled into the far-left lane and accelerated, going fast enough to pass the slower traffic to their right but slow enough to prevent the unwanted attention of a patrol officer.

“Ahh yeah, now _this_ is happenin’!” Sonic opened the backseat window and stuck his head out, feeling the cool breeze flow through his quills. Tails looked over at the blue hedgehog and laughed.

“You goof.” He reached over Amy to playfully punch Sonic’s shoulder. 

“What can I say? I’m a sucker for speed, even if we _are_ still goin’ slow.” Sonic pulled his head back into the car and turned his attention to the driver.

“Any chance ya can step it up more?”

“Sorry kid, gotta obey the traffic laws.” With a grin, Amy touched Sonic’s leg, winking at him before looking up at the cabbie. 

“We’ll triple your fare.” Sonic smiled at the pink hedgehog as they locked eyes, blushing at the closest thing to a romantic moment the two had ever experienced. Ending just as it began, Sonic pushed Amy aside and poked his head between the two front seats.

“Ya heard the girl, put the pedal to the metal!”

“Right away.” The driver shifted gears before accelerating faster, swerving past other drivers in their wake, many angerly honking their horns. He veered toward the interstate, pushing his speed even further.

The blue hedgehog leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as the driver careened down the busy highway. He was rarely the passenger in a fast car, but as it turned out, allowing someone else to take the wheel was rather therapeutic for the blue blur, for once not having to work for the speed.

As Amy made her move, cuddling against the relaxed blue hedgehog, the orange kitsune was left alone, giving him time to think as he peered out the window. 

_We may be late, but we’ll figure things out for sure. We’ll stop Eggman before he can…_ hatch _…his evil plan._

Tails chuckled to himself.

“What’s so funny?” Amy looked over at the orange kitsune.

“Ohh, nothing.” Tails smiled as he placed his hands behind his head before returning his gaze to the outside window, losing himself in thought once more.

_How does Sonic do it? One second I’m bawling my eyes out, and the next I feel way better._

The fox looked back over at the relaxing blue hedgehog, laying his head back against the seat without a care in the world, Amy nestled beside him.

_I wish I could stay so relaxed and cool-headed all the time...or at least hide it better like him._

Tails sighed as he rested an arm on the side of the door, using it to prop up his head. Watching the tall buildings along the perimeter of the highway, he recognized the area they were passing through.

_Heh…things returned to normal pretty quickly._

Indeed, it took only a few days for municipal workers to clear the destruction wrought by Dr. Eggman. No longer were the streets littered with destroyed vehicles, shattered glass, and twisted, fiery metal; it looked as nice as it did prior to Robotnik’s surprise onslaught.

_At least someone’s doing their job…_

Feeling another mood swing kicking in, Tails tried to push his guilt back into his subconscious, opening his window and resting his hand against the door on the outer side, not brave enough to completely stick his cranium out of the car like his big brother. The cool air felt nice against his gloved hand, the wind flowing up his furry arm. He forced a smile as he kept his mind occupied with the outside world, hoping to distract himself from his own thoughts. 

* * *

Skidding to a stop, the taxi came to rest in front of the airport, the driver closing the windows as he looked back at his customers.

“Well, I got y’all here in record time…”

“Ohh, right.” Amy reached into her hammerspace and pulled out the driver’s fare, three times the amount which appeared on the small LED screen on the back of the front seats.

“Much obliged.” He tipped his hat and pressed a button on his dashboard, the trunk popping open.

Sonic unbuckled his seatbelt and stretched his legs. “Thanks for the ride, p—” His compliment was cut short by the sound of police sirens behind the cab, the flashing blue and red lights piercing their eyes before they had the opportunity to cover them.

The driver banged his fist against the steering wheel, cussing profusely. “I can’t have another incident on my driving record! I’ll lose my license for sure.”

Sonic tapped the driver’s shoulder. “Relax, man. We got this.” Without explaining himself, Sonic stepped out of the car, followed by Amy and Tails. The cabbie eyed the trio through his rearview mirror as they approached the officer, a slender, gray dog who stayed in his car, his facial expression loosening up at the sight of the world-renowned hero. He stepped out to address the party.

“G’day Sonic. I’ve been tailing this cab for a few miles. Was gonna issue a citation, but if he was helping you with hero work, I’ll give ‘im a pass.”

“Good deal.” Sonic gave the officer a thumbs-up.

The dog’s attention turned from the blue hedgehog to the orange kitsune, his eyes half-closed as he focused on him suspiciously.

“That fox on the other hand…” The officer pointed a finger at Tails. “…he’s a different story.”

“M…me?” Tails pointed a finger at his chest.

“Yes, you. We’ve heard reports of a short, young fox with two tails kicking over a trash can and spilling garbage on public property.”

The fox stepped back, the emotional incident resurfacing as he became teary-eyed once more.

“W…well, you see…”

Amy placed a hand on his shoulder before stepping forward.

“I’ll take it from here.” She stood in front of the officer, who was twice her height, clearing her throat.

“He didn’t mean to do it. It was an accident.”

“Oh yeah? Well how does someone _accidentally_ kick over a garbage can?”

Amy froze up.

“Ummm…” She ran a gloved hand through her short quills, looking away from the intimidating officer.

“No, Amy.” Tails planted his feet next to the pink hedgehog, his eyes closed and face pointing downward. “I don’t have a good excuse. Take me away.” He raised his arms up, positioning his wrists to make it easier to be restrained. Sonic watched from Tails’ side, his pupils shaking as the officer appeared to be reaching for his handcuffs.

Putting his hands back down, the dog let out a bellowing laugh.

“Huh?” Tails was confused, thinking he’d committed a crime and would need to suffer the consequences of his actions.

“I was just gonna issue a citation, but I’ll just let ya off with a warning for your honesty.”

“Ohh.” Tails put his arms down and looked up at the dog above him, chuckling nervously. “Thanks for not arresting me…”

Giving the three heroes a handshake, he got back into his squad car and left the airport, munching a half-eaten donut as he sped away.

“Phew.” Tails exhaled deeply, wiping sweat from his brow. “I thought I was a goner for sure.” Looking over at Sonic, he saw him with his hands on his knees and breathing heavily, no longer feeling the need to maintain a cool posture now that the officer was gone.

“Sonic…” Tails approached the blue hedgehog, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry I scared you like that.”

“No…it’s fine, Tails.” He turned his face, looking into his concerned brothers’ eyes before giving him a smile of assurance. 

The cab driver honked his horn, prompting the heroes to turn around.

“Am I free to go then?”

After giving him the green light, and grabbing their belongings from the trunk, the cabbie drove away, searching for his next fare.

Tails faced the airport entrance before turning his head to the left, observing a gated, non-commercial airstrip in the distance, the number “18” displayed across the yellow structure of the nearby hangar in blocky white text. The young kitsune squinted his eyes, placing a hand over his brow to get a better look; he could make out the unmistakable Tornado 2 resting inside the structure.

“Hey gang, follow me!” The determined kitsune waved at the hedgehogs, beckoning them to follow him to the gate. Sonic and Amy obeyed, following the eager kitsune as he was about to be reunited with his pride and joy.

Halfway through the gate, however, the fox was stopped by a baton blocking his path. Looking up, he witnessed the menacing sight of a muscular security guard, the Mobian lion’s mane flowing in the wind and his sharp teeth exposed, sending shivers down Tails’ spine.

“Where do you think you’re goin’, small fry?”

“Oh, well…ummm…” Tails dropped the bag and played with his fingers, fidgeting his legs as he struggled to respond to the authority figure blocking his way. “…my plane is over there.” The young fox pointed in the direction of the hangar, the biplane visible under the ever-darkening clouds covering the landing strip.

“ _You_ …a _pilot_?” The guard scoffed. “Don’t make me laugh. Are they just _giving_ pilot licenses to anyone nowadays?”

“Hey pal!” Sonic came to Tails’ defense, the guard’s snickering laugh disappearing as his eyes crossed paths with the blue hedgehog. “Whatja say about my little bro?” Sonic’s hands tightened into fists as he stared intently at the guard.

“Ohh, Sonic…” he dropped his baton and ran a claw through his mane. “…I didn’t know he was with you.”

“And?” The blue blur got within inches of the guard, who was having a difficult time keeping cool under pressure. “You’re gonna apologize to my friend here and let us through, capeesh?”

“Umm…ughhh…” The lion struggled for words as his attention turned back to the fox, who now gave the once menacing lion a firm stare, hands on his hips and determination in his eyes.

“Sorry friend…I’m jus’ overworked is all…damn boss won’t give us breaks, man.”

“Yeah?” Tails kicked the baton between the guard’s legs, his eyes blazing with anger. “C’mon guys!” The determined fox led the hedgehogs through the gate, the lion stepping back to give them ample room.

As the trio approached the hangar, Sonic observed Tails’ balled fists and fluttering namesakes as he marched the group along. 

_Strange. I’ve never seen Tails act like this before. Maybe I should say something?_

“Ya okay, bro?”

Tails looked to his right to find Sonic walking alongside, as if materializing out of thin air.

“That guy back there…” Tails stopped and pointed backward. “He reminded me just how defenseless and weak I can be.” He sighed as he turned to the blue hedgehog, exhaling deeply. “But when you came to defend me, I was filled with a vigor that made me feel…invincible…ya know?”

Sonic raised a gloved finger to his chin as the orange kitsune continued.

“Whenever we’re together, I feel like _nothing_ can hurt me, even if I were staring down death’s door. I just…” Tails turned away, looking down at the dark pavement. “I need to learn to be brave _alone_. As much as I’d like you to protect me all the time, there’ll be times when I’ll need to stand up for myself.” He walked toward the hangar once more, his face forward, namesakes dragging against the concrete. “I just don’t know how…”

Sonic allowed their distance to grow as he watched Tails walk away.

“Is something wrong, Sonic?” Amy approached the blue blur, whose eyes were fixated on his little brother.

“Everything’s cool, Ames.” He put on a smile, one that failed to convince either hedgehog as Sonic proceeded to follow Tails to the hangar. Sighing deeply, the pink hedgehog followed suit.

* * *

Entering the enclosed structure, Sonic and Amy watched as Tails placed a palm on the body of the Tornado 2.

“I’ve missed you _so much_ …I hope they’ve been taking good care of you in here.” The orange kitsune swiped his hand over the slick metal side of the biplane, pampering it as if it were a pet. “I’m sure they did, but let me check a few things before take-off, okay?” Pausing for a few moments, as if waiting for the plane’s permission, Tails spotted a creeper a few feet away. The young fox retrieved it, rested his back against its cushioned surface, and kicked himself under the aircraft. Taking a screwdriver out from his utility belt, he opened a small hatch, wires contained therein which helped give the plane its power.

“Hmmm…everything looks good here.” Pulling himself out from under the biplane, Tails wiped his brow and flew up toward the propeller, using his screwdriver to open the compartment that housed the engine. 

“Hey Tails, you about ready yet?” Sonic tapped his foot with impatience.

“Almost there, Sonic…just gotta check this…and that…and…” The kitsune’s voice trailed off, Sonic chuckling to himself as he watched his younger brother in his element, spending several minutes inspecting the engine. “…All right, everything looks normal.” Tails shut the engine door and floated to the ground below, grease covering his hands and orange fur. Wiping a bit more sweat from his forehead, he managed to smear the black sludge across his face.

“Hey guys…what’s so funny?” Tails placed a finger against his chin, covering the bottom of his muzzle with the black substance as well.

“You should see yourself, bro!” Sonic pointed at his face. “You look like you’re goin’ to war.”

“Huh?” Tails looked down at his gloves to find them covered in grease. Amy pulled a handheld mirror from her hammerspace, pointing it in the fox’s direction.

“Take a look for yourself, Tails.” He peered within, discovering _exactly_ why the hedgehog duo was laughing at him. Blushing, he itched the back of his head, smearing even more of the grease around his triangular ears, causing them to laugh even more.

“Not to mention you _reek_ , man!” Sonic pointed at his younger brother, pinching his nose with his other hand.

“Huh?” Tails smelled his armpits, retracting his nose as his face contorted, realizing Sonic’s assessment was correct.

“At least _I_ was the one stuck in the hospital! _You_ had no excuse!” They laughed some more, Tails giggling the loudest. “I suppose I deserved that, though…”

The trio hopped into the biplane, Tails taking his seat at the wheel while Amy sat behind him.

“Ohhhhhhh Sonic!” Amy waved to the blue hedgehog, who took his spot on the leftmost wing. “I can always sit on your lap y’know!” Sonic shivered at the thought before tapping the wing with the tip of his shoe.

“Nooooo thank you. I’ve got a seat right here!” He pointed down at the metal wing below with a smirk on his face. 

“Hmph…” Amy crossed her arms and looked away. “Well, it was worth a shot, I guess.”

“All right, gang.” Tails flicked some knobs and pulled some levers on his dashboard, the Tornado 2 coming to life as the propellers began to spin. “It’s time we head back to the wo—” His declaration was interrupted by an incoming call on his wristwatch communicator. “…Just a second guys, I’m getting a transmission from Knuckles.”

Pressing a few buttons on the watch, a projected live feed from Knuckles’ own device hovered over his wrist.

“Tails, you readin’ me?”

“Loud and clear, Knuckles. What’s up?”

The red echidna pulled out the green emerald, showing it to the party.

“Woahh! How’d you get it back?”

Knuckles looked back at Rouge, who was lying in the bed behind him.

“It’s…a long story.”

* * *

Sometime prior, Knuckles was making his way through the thick vegetation of Angel Island, carefully lugging the jewel thief over his shoulder as he used his other hand to push the foliage to the side, occasionally wiping rainwater from his eyes.

“…K…Knuckles…” Rouge was hardly awake.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you healed up.”

A few minutes passed, and the rivals found themselves in the well-kept valley where Knuckles lived and guarded the Master Emerald. He breathed a sigh of relief as he eyed the stone shrine, the mystical gem resting at the top undisturbed; normally he would have inspected the emerald more closely after such a trek, but tending to Rouge’s wounds was more important at the moment.

The red echidna opened the cabin door and turned on the lights, taking the bat to his small bedroom, placing her over the covers as she winced in pain, wet from the rain. Knuckles left momentarily, coming back with some basic medical supplies.

“All right, bat…where does it hurt?” She slowly reached her arm toward her left knee, a scrape visible through the rip in her latex pants.

“This is gonna sting a little.” Knuckles swabbed the wound with a wet towel, Rouge’s face scrunching up as her lips quivered from the pain. Setting the rag aside, the red echidna squeezed some ointment onto a cotton swab, rubbing it against the gash. Finally, he affixed a sticky bandage over the layer of ointment.

Knuckles repeated this ritual several times, the jewel thief pointing to each part of her body that hurt so he could tend to each individual lesion, tear, and abrasion. After treating each injury, the echidna pulled out a fresh towel, doing his best to dry the wet bat before pulling a blanket over her. He turned off the lights as he left the room, eager to check on the Master Emerald.

Waiting a few minutes, the bat twitched her ears, trying to detect any noise in the cabin that’d suggest Knuckles was still inside. When the coast was clear, Rouge pushed the blanket to the side and climbed off the bed, still wet after Knuckles’ shabby attempt at drying her off.

“It was so nice for you to patch me up, Knucky.” She observed the bandages around her arms and legs. “I hate to dine and dash, but this lady’s got places to be.” Looking out the window, she spotted Knuckles standing guard at the base of the shrine facing the cabin, the rain not fazing the determined guardian.

“I’m gonna need to find the back exit.” She explored the sparsely furnished cabin, discovering a small window on the opposite side of Knuckles’ home.

“Bingo.” She opened the window, stepping out and dropping to the grass below. 

“Going so soon?”

“Hmmm?” Rouge looked up to see Knuckles standing before her, his arms folded as he glared at the fleeing bat.

“Hiya cutie, didn’t think you’d come strolling around here.” She blew the red echidna a kiss, a smirk on her face as Knuckles’ muzzle became red, matching the color of his fur. He shook himself out of it a few seconds later.

“Hey, don’t toy with me, bat! Now that you’re _feeling better_ …” Knuckles made air quotes with his gloved paws. “…I think it’s time you owed me an explanation.”

“Ohh, an explanation?” Rouge attempted to use her feminine wiles to escape the persistent echidna. “You helped this _poor_ , _defenseless_ girl out…maybe you deserve a kiss?”

“I SAID don’t toy with me!” Knuckles’ rage grew as flames lit up in his eyes, his fists shaking as he clenched his teeth. He pulled Rouge around the cabin by the arm, dragging the bat through the front door and placing her back on the bed.

“Now,” Knuckles began, taking a seat on a nearby chair, “what _are_ you doing on my island?”

“It’s a free Mobius, isn’t it?” Rouge folded her arms, looking away from the red echidna. “This lady can do what _ever_ she pleases. I was just sightseeing.”

“Sightseeing, huh?” Knuckles grinned at the bat’s story, chuckling to himself. “Don’t suppose your little tour included a surprise crash landing?”

“And what if it did?” It was her turn to smile, watching the red echidna’s anger continue to rise.

“Okay, I’ve heard enough out of you.” Knuckles approached the bat, pulling the drawstring bag from her waist.

“I wanted to respect your privacy and not sneak through your junk, but you’ve forced my hand.”

“Wait! Don’t open that bag!” Rouge raised her hand toward Knuckles, trying to snag her loot from his paws, but it was too late; the echidna pulled the drawstring, dumping the green Chaos Emerald into the palm of his hand.

“What the…” His eyes widened as he observed the sparkling gem before returning his gaze to the jewel thief.

“You can _start_ by explaining how you managed to steal this from Dr. Eggman.”

“Oh pl _eazzzee_ , any fool could _easily_ waltz into Eggman’s base and steal from right under his nose.”

Knuckles placed his gloved paw on his forehead.

“Look Rouge, this isn’t a game. I need you to tell me _all_ you learned at Eggman’s headquarters.”

“And why should I do that?” She gave the red echidna a grin, crossing her legs as she sat on the side on the bed.

“Because the _world_ is at stake, you dumb bat!” Knuckles raised his voice once more, unable to negotiate with someone as difficult as Rouge. “This is _far_ beyond either of us. We _need_ to know what he’s up to so we can stop him.”

“Hmmm…” The jewel thief placed a gloved finger to her lips. “I suppose I could give you the inside scoop…but it’ll cost you.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Rouge glanced out the window, eying the Master Emerald glistening in the rain.

“…Wait. You can’t be serious! There is no way I’d ever give _you_ the Master Emerald!”

“Okay then…” Rouge stretched her arm out, raising her fingers as she playfully inspected her nails, covered by her silk gloves. “…then how about you take me for a night out on the town?”

“Ex _cuse_ me?” Now Knuckles was really confused. “You want me to do _what_ now?”

“You heard me.” Rouge stood up and approached the red echidna. “I’ll tell you everything I learned in exchange for a date. Seems fair, doesn’t it?”

Knuckles stepped back, blushing at the embarrassing thought of being out in public with a woman like her.

“…Why don’t you ask Sonic? We could give him a call right now…” Knuckles pulled out his wristwatch communicator, gifted to him by Tails for emergencies such as these. Rouge placed an arm on Knuckles’ wrist, gently pushing it down.

“With Sonic? He’s handsome, sure, but I want to avoid Amy’s rage, thank you very much.”

“All right…” Knuckles placed a gloved finger to his chin. “How about Tails?”

“Tails?! What is he, like, eight? What kinda person do you take me for, anyway?”

“Ummmm…” Knuckles turned his eyes away from Rouge, putting his head down in thought before twisting around to face the jewel thief once more.

“Okay, fine! I’ll agree to this…but taking out Eggman is our number one priority.” Knuckles activated his wristwatch. “We can have our little _date_ later.”

“Suit yourself, Knucky.” Rouge allowed herself to fall on the bed, placing her hands behind her head for support as she crossed her legs.

A projected image of the orange kitsune appeared over Knuckles’ wrist. He was sitting in the cockpit of the Tornado 2, his face visibly dirty. He spotted Amy behind, lifting her head up above the pilot’s seat.

“Tails, you readin’ me?”

“Loud and clear, Knuckles. What’s up?”

The red echidna pulled out the green emerald, showing it to the party.

“Woahh! How’d you get it back?”

Knuckles looked back at the injured bat, who was lying in the bed behind him.

“It’s…a long story. Rouge snuck into Eggman’s base and snagged the emerald before crash-landing on my doorstep. Anyway, the bat hasn’t told me everything…I figured she could just explain it to us all when you arrive.”

“We’ll be there as soon as possible, Knuckles.” Tails gave the red echidna a thumbs up.

“Understood.” Knuckles ended the call, turning his attention back to the jewel thief. “Now I need you to sit tight and wait for my guests to arrive.” He turned to the door.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll try to escape again?”

“We have an agreement, right? You want this date so badly, so you won’t go flyin’ off, _especially_ without the Chaos Emerald.” Knuckles placed the gem in his dreadlocks, tossing the drawstring bag back on the bed as he began walking out of the bedroom.

“And besides…” he stopped at the edge of the doorway. “I have some soup to make.”

Rouge smiled to herself as Knuckles left the room, twirling the small bag by its drawstring as she lay in bed.

_Knuckles is so gullible._

_It’s almost kinda cute._

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 7! Chapter 8 will be published no later than Tuesday, July 21 at 6:30 PM central time (CST - United States). In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the story thus far!**


	8. No Fear

Tails’ wristwatch communicator beeped, signaling the end of his call with Knuckles. He put his wrist down as he peered over at Sonic, who was stretching his arms toward his feet.

“Change of plans, Sonic.”

“Huh?” Sonic stopped mid-stretch, his fingers gripping the tips of his shoes as he looked up at the orange kitsune.

“Knuckles has the Chaos Emerald Eggman stole. Apparently Rouge took it back.” Tails itched his nose as he watched Sonic return to his normal posture, not noticing the black mustache he gave himself from the engine oil on his hands. “We’re gonna stop by Angel Island to hear what Rouge learned at Eggman’s base.”

“Sounds like a plan, little guy!” Sonic gave Tails a thumbs up as the fox finished preparing the Tornado 2 for takeoff.

Tails looked in the rearview mirror as he activated the aircraft’s propellers, Amy waiting patiently in the back seat. “You sure you wanna come with? I can always drop you off somewhere.”

“No way!” Amy planted her fists against her knees, a look of determination in her eyes. “Wherever Sonic goes, _I_ go. I’d follow him through the stratosphere if I had to!”

Tails nervously laughed as he placed a hand behind his head. As he did so, he smeared more sludge across his fur. Feeling the oil around his sensitive ears, he observed his dirty gloves.

“Oh, that’s right.” Sighing to himself, the orange fox retrieved a moist towelette from his glove compartment, unwrapping the tissue from its paper packaging and thoroughly wiping his hands, cleaning away the black muck.

“Alright, _now_ I’m ready to go!” With a few final lever pulls, the biplane left the hangar as it rolled down the dark runway, slowly picking up speed. Pulling the yoke toward him, the Tornado 2 left the ground, making its ascent into the clouds above as the pilot retracted the wheels back into the aircraft’s interior.

“Finally back in the air…where I belong.”

Opening the glass shield protecting the plane’s occupants, Tails unbuckled his seatbelt and stood up, lifting his face as he enjoyed the wind against his furry muzzle.

“Tails!” Amy tapped the fox’s leg. “Can you maybe come down? I’m starting to get a bit nervous here.”

“Don’t be, Amy.” Tails turned around and met her eyes from above, giving the pink hedgehog a wide smile. “I’ve got this baby set to autopilot, so we don’t need to worry about crashing.”

Sonic laughed from the leftmost wing. “C’mon Amy, you think _Tails_ would let us crash? Put some trust in our expert pilot here.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Amy returned the orange kitsune’s smile as a raindrop fell on her nose, shuddering at the cool sensation.

“Hey guys…” Sonic’s demeanor changed as he pointed toward the rapidly approaching black clouds. “Ya may wanna close the hatch there. I see lightning up a—.” The blue hedgehog’s warning was interrupted by a blinding light, followed by the piercing sound of thunder.

“Ahhh!” Tails immediately curled into a ball in the pilot’s seat, using his namesakes as a protective cover against the storm.

Amy poked the balled figure with her gloved finger, the young fox’s tails fluttering at the touch while still remaining wrapped around the distressed kitsune. The pink hedgehog poked him harder.

“Get ahold of yourself, Ta-.” She stopped as she heard the sound of whimpers coming from within the furry ball.

Sonic stepped over to the cockpit, using his arms for balance as the biplane started to quiver against the strong winds.

“Hey, buddy.” Tails stopped whimpering at the sound of Sonic’s voice. “I know you’re scared, but we need you to pilot us through the storm.” Sonic reached a hand down to his little brother, petting the ball of orange and white fur. “Think you can do that for us?”

Tails’ body loosened up as he made a gap between his namesakes, enough for him to peer into Sonic’s eyes, a reassuring smile on the blue hedgehog’s face.

“Mmhmm.” Tails nodded as he slowly allowed himself to roll out of his spherical form, positioning himself upright in the driver’s seat as he collected his bearings. Wiping rainwater from his face, he turned to Sonic, whose arms were crossed.

“Go ahead and close it.” Sonic looked up, the black clouds now directly above them. “I’ll gladly take the thrill of riding in a storm, even if that means getting we—.” The blue hedgehog was cut short by a blinding flash of lightning, appearing dangerously close in front of the biplane. Sonic’s eyes widened in surprise. “…On second thought…I think I’ll ride with you.”

“Yay!” squealed the pink hedgehog from behind as she pulled herself up. “You can come sit right here, and I can be on your lap!” Amy smiled in anticipation as she patted her seat, beckoning the blue hedgehog to join her.

Sonic looked over at Amy with a nervous smile on his face, running his hand through his quills. “…Yeah, no thank you.”

Amy scowled as she watched the blue hedgehog wedge his way behind Tails’ seat, the orange fox sitting in his lap instead.

“Sorry, Ames.” Sonic raised his arm up, giving the pink hedgehog a peace sign as Tails retracted the glass, protecting the passengers from the elements. “Maybe next time!”

Amy ground her teeth, giving the blue hedgehog a stern look through the rearview mirror before taking a deep breath and sighing heavily. “Hmph…” She folded her arms and turned her face away. “Maybe next time…”

While Amy brooded silently, Tails took a deep breath of his own, nervously watching the dark clouds above before returning to his dashboard. Sonic could feel the orange fox’s elevated heartbeat against his chest.

“Relax, little guy.” Sonic patted his younger brother’s leg. “I know you can do this.”

“…Right.” Sighing once more, Tails removed the plane from autopilot and grabbed hold of the yoke, stabilizing the aircraft. “To be on the safe side, I’m gonna reduce our speed a bit.”

“Ahh, what a drag!” Sonic winked at Tails through the rearview mirror. “But, y’know what they say: pilot knows best!”

Chuckling to himself, the orange kitsune reduced the biplane’s altitude. “At our current velocity, we’ll arrive at Angel Island in about thirty minutes.”

Sonic placed his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes, noticing Tails’ heartrate return to normal. “Time for a hedgehog nap.”

Tails watched Sonic descend into sleep through the mirror, his head against the blue hedgehog’s chest, the snoozing hedgehog’s rhythmic breathing having a calming effect on the young kitsune. Smiling to himself, he turned his eyes back to the sky, keeping his hands on the yoke to counteract the turbulence. Finally, as the wind gave way, the fox loosened his grip and allowed himself to relax, even at the sight of lightning bolts in the distance. 

“Without Sonic here, I’d have been a complete and utter mess.” Tails looked back at the hedgehog, lightly snoring behind him, breathing against the top of his head. “How does he do it?” The orange kitsune looked forward once more, sighing to himself. “Either way…I’ll never completely resolve my fears until I can confront them alone.”

Observing Tails through a small slit between his eyelids, Sonic watched his younger brother meticulously maneuver the plane, pondering what the young kitsune said to himself.

 _Tails…I_ know _you can overcome your fears. But please..._

 _Let me_ _help you._

* * *

Knuckles was waiting for the party to arrive at the end of the grassy runway as the biplane descended to the surface of Angel Island. As it rolled to a stop, Tails jumped out of the plane, opening a hatch on the back of the aircraft to grab a set of umbrellas for himself and each of his passengers. Floating to the ground below, he landed just as Sonic jumped out of the plane, Amy in his arms. Tails handed them the umbrellas as Knuckles walked over to greet the trio.

“Storm’s gettin’ worse, but you probably already guessed that.” Knuckles used his arm to shield a gust of wind. “C’mon. Let’s get back to the cabin.”

“Wait a second!” Tails walked toward the Tornado 2, using his wireless keys to lock the aircraft before patting the side of the plane with the palm of his hand. “Don’t be scared of the storm…I’ll only be gone a short while.” After rubbing his muzzle against the plane, giving the Tornado 2 a hug with his arms, he rejoined the party as they walked through the grassy path, rain dripping from their umbrellas.

“So,” the blue hedgehog smirked as he walked alongside the red echidna, “where’s your girlfriend?”

“Huh?” Knuckles looked over at Sonic, who was snickering under his blue umbrella. “What’re you talkin’ about? You can’t mean that _bat_?” Knuckles awaited the blue hedgehog’s response, a slight blush appearing on his face. 

“Well, yeah…who else?” Sonic gave the red echidna a sly smirk, Knuckles staring back at him in anger as he readied his pre-rehearsed response to the blue hedgehog’s predictable taunting. 

“First, I’d _never_ go out with a conniving jewel thief like her.” He stopped in front of Sonic, who didn’t seem to be taking him seriously. “Second, even _if_ I wanted to date her (which I don’t!), she’d just use me to get ahold of the Master Emerald anyway. Third, as the guardian of the Master Emerald, I don’t have that kind of time.”

“Hey Knuckles, you’re gettin’ mighty defensive there.” Sonic playfully elbowed the echidna, whose face turned even more red. Tails chuckled from behind, covering his mouth with his hand while Amy looked on disapprovingly. A vein on Knuckles’ head seemed to bulge as his patience with the blue hedgehog grew thin.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I. Don’t. Like. That. Bat!”

“Oh yeah?” Sonic’s smirk grew larger. “Why is she always here, then?”

“Why else? To steal the Master Emerald!”

Amy cleared her throat. “I, for one, am glad Knuckles isn’t interested in Rouge. She’s a bad influence!”

“Sure.” Knuckles turned around and lead the pack once more, glad to have at least one friend on his side.

After a few more minutes of walking along the wooded path, Knuckles pushed some foliage aside to allow his guests into the clearing surrounding the echidna’s well-kept land.

Making the short walk across the wet grass, the rain still pouring over their umbrellas, Knuckles opened the door, the smell of food filling their nostrils as they entered the cozy cabin. As Amy closed the door, Rouge came out of the bedroom, yawning into her hand as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

“Heya handsome.” Rouge winked at Knuckles, making him blush once more.

“Ha! Told ya so!” Sonic pointed at the red echidna, laughing profusely as Knuckles stomped his feet against the kitchen floor.

“How many _times_ do I have to tell you!” He swung his fists in Sonic’s direction, the blue hedgehog dodging with ease. “Me and Rouge are _not_ dating!”

“Oh yeah?” The party turned to Rouge as she smirked at Knuckles. “Coulda fooled me. Didn’t you just agree to a date?”

“Wait a minute…” Tails humorously placed a gloved finger on his chin as he helped Sonic troll the red echidna. “If Knuckles isn’t dating, how come he has a _date_ with Rouge?”

“Care to explain that one?” Amy turned to Knuckles, hands on her hips as everyone circled the red echidna.

Knuckles turned his face away, peering at a corner of the room as he slid the palm of his hand down his face. Finding a suitable explanation, the red echidna twisted back around to face his friends. “It’s not a _date_ ,” Knuckles made air quotes with his spiked hands, “it’s…more of a…casual outing in exchange for information.”

“Ahhh,” Sonic gasped, smiling widely, “Call it what you will, but a date’s a date.” The party laughed, save for Amy, who was relieved the red echidna didn’t appear all that enthusiastic to hang out with the jewel thief.

“Instead of laughing,” Knuckles retorted, not feeling as jolly as his companions, “how ‘bout we have some grub and hear what Rouge has to say?” The red echidna pointed to the stove, a stack of bowls sitting next to the boiling concoction on the burner.

Sonic looked into the large pot, a thick orange substance bubbling within. He stuck a finger in the soup, Amy looking over his shoulder in disgust.

“Really, Sonic? What terrible manners!”

“What?” Sonic shrugged his shoulders, the thick soup dripping from his finger and back into the pot.

“Get your hands away from there!” Amy yelled. “I love you Sonic, but sometimes you’re just so embarrassing and gross!”

“Woah, chill out, Ames.” Sonic pulled his hand away from the pot and stuck his finger in his mouth. His face contorted moments later as his eyes widened before audibly gagging, coughing into his shoulder. After several seconds of hacking, the blue hedgehog looked around the room, Knuckles and Amy grinding their teeth in anger as Tails and Rouge snickered from behind.

“It’s…good…yeah…very hearty!” Sonic rubbed his belly in a circular motion, a forced smile on his face. “What d’ya call it?”

“Pumpkin…soup.” Knuckles sternly walked over to the pot, turning off the stove and grabbing a ladle. “I may’ve only had this cabin for a short while, but even _I_ know how to use proper manners.”

Sonic stepped aside, allowing the red echidna to serve himself as he ran his hand through his quills. Knuckles dropped the ladle into the pot and turned to the blue hedgehog.

“And you don’t need to eat my soup. I can probably find someth—" Sonic ran out of the cabin before the red echidna could finish, returning moments later with a small paper bag in his hands, tossing the biplane’s keys in Tails’ direction. The kitsune cupped his hands just in time to catch his keys as the blue hedgehog peered into the greasy bag. 

“Thank goodness!” Sonic stared intently at the uneaten chili dogs resting safely within. “Mind if I heat these up, Knuckles?” Before the red echidna could answer, Sonic deposited the hot dogs onto a plate and placed them in the microwave.

Amy pressed her palm against her face, shaking her head.

A few minutes passed, and everyone, save for Sonic, was sitting at the table, slowly eating their piping hot soup while the blue hedgehog leaned against the kitchen counter, devouring his leftovers with a few big bites.

“Okay Rouge.” Knuckles placed his hands on the table, facing the jewel thief. “I think it’s finally time you explained what you learned.”

“All right, Knucky.” She set her spoon down in her bowl as Sonic placed a hand to his mouth, hardly able to contain his chuckles.

“Heh, she called you _Knucky_.” Sonic burst out laughing as Tails placed a palm to his mouth as well, hoping not to make the situation worse with his own laughter.

Knuckles closed his eyes and folded his arms, sighing deeply as he focused on the task at hand.

“No more interruptions.” Turning to the jewel thief once more, Knuckles flicked his hand, beckoning her to tell the story.

“I’ll keep it nice and brief.” Rouge folded her legs, looking over at the crowd staring back. “Eggy can trace Chaos Emerald locations with some computer doohickey of his, and he used this to lure you to Seaside City.”

“Figured as much…” Tails’ head went down, looking into his half-eaten bowl of soup. Seeing his little brother’s downcast face, Sonic approached him from the side, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder before looking back at Rouge.

“It gets worse,” she continued. “Apparently he’s developing some sort of energy amplifier powered by the Chaos Emeralds.”

Tails looked up at the jewel thief. “An…energy amplifier?” He raised a gloved hand to his chin.

“You heard correctly.” Rouge shrugged her shoulders. “Eggman claims this machine will grant him unlimited power once he collects all the Chaos Emeralds. He had three when I infiltrated his base, but I snagged one before escaping…at least, not without a few bruises.” She lifted her arms, giving the party a good look at her wounds before standing up and approaching the red echidna from behind.

“Thankfully,” Rouge placed her gloved hands on Knuckles’ shoulders, causing him to freeze, a light tint of red appearing on his muzzle, “Knucky here saved me after I crash landed.”

“Well…it was nothin’, really…” Knuckles ran a hand through his dreadlocks, the green Chaos Emerald falling out. As if by instinct, the jewel thief caught it before it hit the ground, raising it to her face as she longingly stared at it. Rouge gasped as Knuckles snagged it back from her, placing the mystical gem at the center of the table.

Amy got up from her seat and approached the bat. “Hold on a sec, floozy.” She crossed her arms as the two women locked eyes. “Seems _awfully_ suspicious that you just _happen_ to have been snooping around Eggman’s base at the time. How do we know you’re telling the truth?”

“Just _what_ are you implying?” Rouge placed her hands on her hips as she frowned at the pink hedgehog.

“Well, we all know you have some sort of ulterior motive here, so spit it out!”

“What? You mean my date with Knuckles?” The two approached each other, eyeing each other angerly. 

“Of course not! What makes you think we can trust your convenient little _story_? There’s obviously more to it than a stupid date.”

Rouge stepped back and turned around, crossing her arms as she turned her face toward the pink hedgehog. “I don’t care _what_ you believe. I’ve told you all I know, so you can take it or leave it.”

“Oooooo…” Flames grew in Amy’s eyes as she pulled her Piko Piko Hammer out from her hammerspace, bending her arms back for a wide swing. Rouge swung around in response, initiating a roundhouse kick. Before the ladies could connect their attacks, however, Sonic grabbed Amy’s arm and Knuckles deflected Rouge’s boot with his gloved hand.

“Cut it out, girls.” Sonic nudged the hammer from the pink hedgehog’s hand. Amy allowed her grip to loosen as Rouge planted her feet back on the ground.

Knuckles stepped back, looking at the two rivals. “I’ll admit Rouge hasn’t always been honest, but we need to trust her here.”

Sighing to herself, Amy sat back down at the table, Rouge opting to take Sonic’s old spot at the kitchen counter instead.

As they were arguing, Tails was running the facts through his mind, plotting out the group’s next course of action.

_Rouge has all but confirmed my suspicion that Eggman is able to detect the location of the Chaos Emeralds. He has at least two, and as long as we keep ours safe, we should be okay for the moment._

Tails grabbed the green gem from the table, allowing its warmth to radiate through him as he eyed it intently. “…Hey guys?”

Sonic looked over at the young kitsune, who was still staring at the mystical emerald. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Got somethin’ on your mind?”

“Yeah…” Miles looked around the small kitchen, all eyes centered on him as he cleared his throat, set the gem down, stood up from his chair, and faced Knuckles.

“Listen…” Tails scratched the back of his head. “I know I…hurt it before, but…” he turned his gaze away from the red echidna, looking at the stone shrine through the window. “…I’d like another chance at studying the Master Emerald.”

Knuckles folded his arms as he intently looked back at the young kitsune. “And hurt it again?”

“Well…I’ve been thinking…” Tails turned back to face the red echidna. “I was a bit too careless the last time around, subjecting the Master Emerald to a high degree of energy and failing to implement a failsafe in case of an emergency,” he crashed his fist against the palm of his other hand, “but if you give me another chance, I _know_ that I’ll come closer to getting the detector working, and I’ll ensure no harm comes of the Master Emerald.”

Knuckles turned his face away with closed eyes as the orange fox stepped closer to him.

“Please, Knuckles. I will give you my _word_ the Master Emerald will be safe.”

The red echidna opened one eye, peering into the determined face of the orange fox, his forehead creased and his eyes staring intently back at him.

“You promise?”

“…I do.”

Knuckles stood in silence for several more moments before relaxing his body, looking down at the young kitsune with a smile. “Then I’ll trust you.”

A wide smile appeared on Tails’ face, his eyes glistening as he hurried toward the unsuspecting echidna and gave him a hug. “Ohh, thank you Knuckles! I promise not to let you down.”

“Yeah, yeah…” The red echidna gently pushed the young kitsune off. “But if anything else happens to the Master Emerald, you’ll never come near it again. Understand?”

Tails hesitated, taken aback by Knuckles’ sudden shift in demeanor.

“…Yes.” The fox slowly nodded. 

_But can I really trust myself? What if something_ does _happen again?_

“So,” Sonic walked up to his younger brother, “when should we start?”

“Huh?” Tails faced the blue hedgehog, a smile on his face.

“I won’t pretend to be much help,” Sonic ran a hand through his quills, “but at least it’d be better than runnin’ ‘round searching for the emeralds aimlessly, as fun as that sounds.” He chuckled as he placed a gloved hand on Tails’ shoulder. “And besides, maybe ya can teach me a thing ‘r two about this _science stuff_.”

Tails giggled at the blue hedgehog’s air quotes before turning to the door. “Yeah! Just give me a moment to grab my gear, and—” The fox was interrupted by the indiscriminate sound of thunder outside. His namesakes jutted up as he instinctively hurled himself in Sonic’s direction, wrapping himself around his torso.

“Ahhh, I’m afraid of lightning!” He buried his face into Sonic’s chest as he shook, wrapping his namesakes around the two to strengthen his embrace. Looking down at the young fox, Sonic rustled his orange hair.

“It’ll be okay, lil’ bro. As long as we stay indoors, the lightning won’t getcha.” Tails’ shaking ceased as he slowly tilted his head up. Sonic’s reassuring smile helped calm his nerves.

“I suppose you’re right…”

“Of course I am!” Sonic gave his younger brother a thumbs up, which was immediately returned by the young kitsune.

“But first,” Sonic stepped back, pinching his nose with his fingers, “ya gotta take a shower, bro.”

“Hmph…” Rouge turned her face away, legs crossed. “At least _I_ wasn’t the only one who noticed.”

“So _that_ ’s where the smell was coming from…” Knuckles placed a gloved palm over his mouth and nose.

“Alright, I get the hint, guys!” Tails put his hands on his hips, leaning forward with a grumpy expression, watching as his friends snickered, Amy trying her hardest to suppress her laughter. Without asking, the orange kitsune walked to the restroom, turning on the shower as he shut the door behind him.

As the remaining party relocated to the living room, Knuckles turned to the blue hedgehog, who was making himself comfortable on the small sofa.

“Aren’t you worried about Tails?”

“Huh?” Sonic looked up at the stone-faced echidna, giving him a blank look. “Whatja mean?”

“Think about it.” Knuckles sat next to the blue hedgehog. “Tails risked life and limb this past week, and things are ‘bout to get hairier. Don’t you think he’s a bit young to be thrown into harm’s way? Maybe he should step aside…”

Sonic returned Knuckles’ look of concern, one appearing on his face as well.

“To be honest, I’ve been thinkin’ long n’ hard about this, too.” The blue hedgehog sighed, closing his eyes as he slumped on the couch, his arms falling to either side. “I mean…I _want_ him to fight. He’s a big help whenever we take on Eggman…but…” Sonic looked over at Knuckles once more. “I don’t know if I could live with myself if somethin’ ever happened to him. Waiting for Tails to wake up in the hospital was bad enough...”

As Sonic was speaking, a fluffy triangular ear was pressed against the other side of the bathroom door, intently listening to the conversation at hand.

“Could I stop Eggman without Tails by my side? Sure.” Taking another deep breath, Sonic got up from the couch, stretching his arms. “But he _needs_ this. Yeah Tails is young, but look at all he’s accomplished over the years. And besides, who am I to tell ‘im what he can and can’t do? I’d rather have him fight by my side than go off on his own or feel bad for himself at home.”

Tails slid to the floor of the bathroom, his arms resting on his lap as moisture began to build in his eyes, remembering the reassuring words his older brother spoke to him earlier that day.

 _“Even_ if _we went after Eggman sooner, I would have had to go it alone...and there is_ no way _I would’ve fought Eggman’s mechs without you by my side.”_

Tails dabbed his arm against his watery eyes.

_Was it all a lie? Don’t you trust me anymore, or did you ever trust me to begin with? Do you really pity me this much?_

Leaning his head back to the door, he allowed the room to fill with steam as his mind recalled other recent – and not so recent – memories of his time with Sonic.

_“I’m sorry, but with your injuries, you’d only be a liability on the battlefield.”_

_“If it weren’t for your genius idea to blow up the eagle thing with a dummy ring bomb, Knuckles and I would’ve had a much harder time defeating Eggman. And plus…you have a spirit of a true hero.”_

_“We won’t allow anyone to stand in the way of our adventures, and if they do, they’ll have to answer to us!”_

_“I suppose I could use a mechanic…and a friend.”_

Standing up, Tails sighed as he removed his shoes.

“I don’t know _what_ to believe anymore.” Sliding his socks from his orange feet, he turned to face the mirror. The young fox observed the sludge still covering his face, his eyes partially bloodshot. “But I _do_ know what I must do.” Twisting himself around, he removed his gloves and wristwatch communicator before stepping into the shower.

“I’ll get the detector to work, even if it’s the last thing I do.”

* * *

As the sludge-free, odorless kitsune stepped out of the restroom, the party were discussing their immediate plans. They’d already decided the storm’s intensity would ground them for the evening, forcing everyone to spend the night at Knuckles’ cabin, but the pink hedgehog protested the proposed sleeping arrangements.

“What!” Amy’s face burned in anger as she stared at the red echidna. “Why do I have to sleep with Rouge?”

“What, you’d rather sleep out here with the guys?”

“But...why can’t Soni—”

The blue hedgehog interrupted Amy’s predictable train of thought. “Imma stop ya right there and take a hard pass on that.”

Rouge put her hands on her hips. “Yeah Amy, that wouldn’t be fair for me and Knucky over here.”

“How. Many. Times…” Knuckles’ anger built up once more, but he contained it, his arms folded as the veins popping out of his forehead began to recede back into his skin.

“Personally, I think the current arrangements works out the best,” Tails said, leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, steam escaping from the open door.

“Hmph!” Amy turned away, her eyes closed as she folded her arms.

“My cabin, my rules…unless you’d rather take a gander outside.” Knuckles pointed out the window, the rain still falling heavily, no sign of light as the clouds covered the moon and stars above.

Amy ran a hand through her quills as she nervously peered out into the darkness beyond. “Ummm…on second thought, I think I’ll take the bed.”

Another hour passed, and everyone was sleeping comfortably, or at least as comfortably as one could in such cramped accommodations. Amy and Rouge were the lucky ones, taking the only bed in the household as the guys made do with the living room. Tails was curled up on the sofa, using his namesakes for extra warmth even as a blanket was draped over his body, and Sonic and Knuckles slept peacefully in sleeping bags on the floor.

At 2 AM, a quiet alarm clock rang on Tails’ wristwatch communicator, set just loud enough for him to hear under the covers without waking the others. The fox hastily turned off the alarm and rolled onto his back, allowing his namesakes to loosen their grip around his body as he took a deep breath.

_Alright, time to do this._

The orange kitsune pulled the blanket off of himself, gently kicking it toward the end of the sofa. Scanning the living room, he watched the steady breathing of his companions resting on the floor, no other movements coming from the two.

The fox gently planted his feet to the ground and tip-toed his way to the window facing the Master Emerald. Looking outside, he watched as the rain continued falling heavily, the sight of lightning off in the distance.

Turning to the door, Tails gulped.

_Okay Miles…you can do this._

He made his way through the kitchen to the entryway, placing his gloved palm on the doorknob. Tails stared at the handle, his forehead creasing as his lips twitched, sweat forming along his brow.

_C’mon Tails…you got this…I gotta do this…I have…no fear…_

As he turned the knob, the crashing sound of thunder filled the cabin. Tails covered his mouth just as he was about to yelp. Nervously turning around, he peered into the living room, Sonic and Knuckles still soundly asleep.

“Phew…” Tails wiped his brow as he approached the door once more, his hand shaking as he mustered the courage to turn the handle. Finally, grabbing an umbrella resting on the kitchen counter, he walked out of the cabin, slowly closing the door behind as he opened the contraption, protecting him from most of the rain.

Taking a few steps into the spongey grass, the orange fox looked up at the dark clouds before making his way to the wooded trail leading back to the Tornado 2.

* * *

Decoe and Bocoe ran back into the fortress caked in mud, water dripping from their metallic bodies.

“I’m going to need a vacation after this,” Decoe said, looking over at his robotic brother.

“You said it,” Bocoe replied. “If we don’t get some relaxation soon, we’ll rust away in exhaustion.”

“Either way,” Decoe continued as the two made their way into the central building, “Eggman isn’t going to like the news.”

Stepping into an elevator, Bocoe tapped a red button with Eggman’s face on it, carrying them to their destination. The two stepped out as the elevator door opened and walked down a wide corridor, entering the evil doctor’s command center. They discovered Eggman hunched over his keyboard, intently looking into his large monitor as he stroked his long mustache.

“You can save your little report.” Robotnik felt no need to look away from the computer screen as he addressed his mechanical henchmen.

“Huh?” the robots said in unison.

“Remember, I know _exactly_ where all seven Chaos Emeralds are located. I _know_ Rouge landed on Angel Island, and the emerald is still there.” Twisting his chair around, he scowled at the mud-covered robots before him, a trail of brown following them.

“You filthy nitwits! Clean this mess up before you track more dirt into my lair!”

“Aye aye!” they said in unison, running out of the room, leaving muddy footprints in their wake.

Eggman spun his chair around once more, analyzing a map of Mobius on his monitor.

“Now let’s see…which one should I acquire next…” Eggman zoomed in on one of the seven blinking dots. As he continued magnifying his view, the scenery below became clearly distinguishable; a forest was to the west, and a lake to the east. Off the coast could be seen a small cottage, a few trees surrounding the house and a brick hedge bordering the yard. Enhancing the feed even further, Eggman snickered as he saw a little bunny sitting at a picnic table, sipping tea with her small blue companion.

“Wooahhooohoohooo! This is perfect!”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find canned pumpkin soup at the store, so hopefully my description of Knuckles’ cooking was believable. XD**

**As always, feel free to leave a review if you’re so inclined. Definitely appreciate any feedback! I’ll have chapter 9 uploaded by 6:30 PM on Thursday, July 30, 2020 (United States Central Time).**


	9. Loss of Me

Sonic stared aimlessly at the ceiling fan above. He was unable to sleep, playing back the words he spoke to Knuckles as he tossed and turned in his sleeping bag.

_“I don’t know if I could live with myself if somethin’ ever happened to him. Waiting for Tails to wake up in the hospital was bad enough...”_

_“Yeah Tails is young, but look at all he’s accomplished over the years. And besides, who am I to tell ‘im what he can and can’t do? I’d rather have him fight by my side than go off on his own or feel bad for himself at home.”_

“Tails…” Sonic sighed as he pulled his arm closer to his face, staring into his wristwatch communicator.

“Five in the mornin’, huh?” Sonic’s eyes were heavy as he gently cleared his throat, careful not to wake the others in the living room. Turning over, he saw Knuckles fast asleep, snoring gently under his covers.

Stretching his body out on the floor, the blue hedgehog pulled himself out of the sleeping bag and crept over to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of tap water.

“Ahhh…now _that_ hits the spot.”

Sonic set his glass on the counter as he returned to the living room, stopping as he noticed the unoccupied sofa. The young kitsune was nowhere to be found.

“Hmmm…” Sonic picked up the blanket pushed against the end of the couch. “Whereja go, little buddy?” Setting it down, he scanned the dark living room before starting his search. After finding nobody in the restroom, he crept over to the bedroom, pushing the door slightly open as he peered through the small opening to see the two girls sleeping on their respective sides of the bed. Amy’s arm was hanging down from her side of the mattress, her hand gripping the Piko Piko Hammer leaning against the bedside table.

Chuckling lightly, the blue hedgehog gently shut the door.

“Well, where could he be?” He scratched his head as he listened to the sound of rain pouring over the small cabin.

“He couldn’t possibly be…”

The blue hedgehog tip-toed to the window, looking out at the shrine in the distance to reveal the orange kitsune studying the Master Emerald, an open canopy tent with small flood lights covering the mystical gem and the top level of the shrine.

“Isn’t it a bit early to be doin’ science stuff?” Scratching his forehead and rubbing his eyes, the hedgehog walked through the kitchen, grabbing his blue umbrella as he left the cabin.

_I hope he’s doin’ okay…_

* * *

Making his way up the stone steps of the shrine, the hedgehog heard an angry yell near the top as a small object launched over the stairs, several yards above Sonic’s head. Acting upon instinct, the blue hedgehog leapt into action, jumping upward to catch the device with a gloved hand, his umbrella still gripped by the other.

“Gotcha!” Sonic landed near the base of the stairs, the umbrella panel bending inside out during the descent, rendering the mangled contraption all but useless to the now-wet hedgehog.

Sonic brought the thrown object closer to his face, the circular radar cool to the touch. Gripping the detector, he slowly made his ascent up the slippery stone steps.

_All right Sonic…just play it cool. I’ll ask him what’s wrong, but I won’t pester him._

Sighing anxiously, the blue hedgehog took the final few steps up the shrine as he noticed the orange kitsune staring off into the distance facing away from the stairs, his arms leaning on the foldable table under the canopy tent.

“…Heya Tails.” The young fox turned around to find the soaked hedgehog and his decimated umbrella, the detector in the palm of his hands. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Ohh...something like that.” The orange fox scratched the back of his head. Sonic stepped closer to him, setting the device on the table.

“Ya dropped somethin’.” He pushed it closer to Miles, who gave the device a cold stare. “Mind tellin’ me what’s wrong?”

Tails sighed. “It’s just that the readings I’m getting from the Master Emerald are wildly inconsistent with the data from my prior tests, and I’m not sure what’s causing the discrepancy. Without determining the causal connection between the energy fluctuations, I won’t be able to develop adequate programming code.”

Sonic scratched his head. “Mind dumbin’ that down a bit?”

“In other words,” Tails replied, walking over to the Master Emerald, “I’m no closer to completing the detector than I was before.” He placed a palm against the mystical gem, staring at it with blank eyes.

“Hey lil’ bro,” Sonic walked over to the young kitsune, placing a hand on his shoulder, “I’m sure you can get it workin’ eventually.”

Tails turned around as he looked up at the blue hedgehog, moisture forming in his eyes.

“…but…do you?”

“Huh?” Sonic peered into the distressed fox’s eyes, his downcast face eyeing the stone floor. “I don’t understand.”

“…I heard what you said, Sonic…when I was in the shower.” The orange kitsune balled his hands into tight fists as his arms began to shake. The blue hedgehog was frozen solid, unsure how to respond as the two stood in silence.

Tails gulped. “…Why do you keep me around?” A frown covered his face, his eyes unblinking.

“What d’ya mean?” Sonic slowly approached the young kitsune. “We’re best buds, brothers ‘n all but blood. There’s nothin’ keepin’ us apart!”

“Is that what you tell yourself to justify babysitting me all the time?” Tails furrowed his brow as he looked into the blue hedgehog’s confused face.

“Babysittin’? Who said anythin’ abou—”

“You did!” Tails voice grew angry, a small vein appearing near the top of his head. “You just keep me around so I don’t run off and do something stupid!”

“What?” Sonic stepped back, watching his normally docile, kindhearted little brother succumb to rage. “Now wait just a min—”

“Why, so you can tell me things will be alright when they aren’t? Tell me how useful I am when I mess up all the time? Guilt yourself into babysitting me when you should be fighting Eggman without distractions? Lie to give me a sense of purpose and belonging when I…” Tails sniffled as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “…when I just…don’t belong?”

“But…” Sonic was dumbstruck at Tails’ seemingly never-ending rant, bottled up emotions finally boiling over. “But I…don’t think those things…”

“Why? Any _rational_ person would believe this. Or are you just playing dumb? Acting like the dumb, lovable hero as per usual?” The young kitsune walked in circles and waved his arms as he spoke, missing the pain in Sonic’s face.

“It isn’t true, tho—" Sonic began, only to be cut off once more.

“I’m done, Sonic!” Tails approached the table, grabbing the Chaos Emerald detector. “I’m done…”

“Tails…” Sonic stepped closer to the young kitsune, whose eyes shot up to meet his, the fox’s hand gripping the detector so tightly the glass casing began to crack.

“I said…” The fox raised his hand up in the air, his arm stretched back as far as it could go, the device still held between his fingers as he bent his knees. “I’M…DONE!” Tails swung his arm forward, letting go of the device.

The detector came hurling at Sonic’s face, the blue hedgehog too dumbstruck to dodge. Striking him across his cheek, the device fell to the stone surface below, shattering into small pieces.

Tails kept his throwing arm forward as he breathed heavily, anger still in his eyes. Sonic, meanwhile, was as still as a rock, a red bruise forming on the side of his muzzle, the blue hedgehog ignoring the physical pain, lost in his emotional turmoil.

After what felt like an eternity, Sonic took a knee, placing a gloved hand against his bruise, closing his eyes as his head pointed downward.

Reason slowly returned to Tails as he doused the flames in his eyes, his anger now replaced with an overwhelming feeling of sorrow and dread.

 _Did I…just hurt…?_

“…Sonic?” Tails’ arms dropped to either side as he slowly approached the blue hedgehog, fumbling his steps as if a zombie walking through a deserted cityscape. Looking down at his older brother, he could see a small teardrop forming between his closed eyelids, an unmoving frown on his face. Tails looked at his palms, tears of his own welling up in his eyes as he tried to comprehend how his hands could have carried out such a deed.

“W…what have I done?” The orange kitsune turned around, no longer able to bear the sight of his injured brother.

“I don’t deserve…to be your sidekick anymore.”

Wiping his nose with his arm, he approached the stone steps as he began spinning his rotary namesakes, preparing to leave the injured blue hedgehog behind. As his feet left the ground, however, a gloved hand grabbed his arm, holding him in place a foot above the stone surface.

Tails looked back to find Sonic, a frown on his face as he kept his other hand against his cheek.

“No Tails…” Sonic stared intently into the kitsune’s eyes. “Please…don’t go.” His voice cracked as he made this plea, the orange fox slowly planting his feet back on the surface as his namesakes stopped spinning. Opening his eyes, Sonic approached the kitsune for a hug, an embrace which Miles didn’t reciprocate, too stunned to react.

“I’m…so sorry, Tails…” The young fox could feel the blue hedgehog’s tears rolling down his back as he struggled to comprehend.

“But…why, Sonic?” His fists balled up once more as the blue hedgehog broke down against him. “You didn’t do anything wrong. _I’m_ the one who lost it just now.”

“Don’t you see, Tails?” Sonic sniffled through his shaky voice, keeping Tails in his embrace. “ _I’m_ putting all this pressure on you. _I’m_ responsible.” The blue hedgehog gently pulled himself away, the young fox witnessing, with his own eyes, the rare sight of the world-renowned hero as an emotional wreck, black rings around his bloodshot eyes. The blue hedgehog turned away as more tears dripped down his muzzle.

“I don’t understand…” Tails looked away as well, holding one arm with the other. “Why…don’t you hate me?” The blue hedgehog stepped over to the Master Emerald, allowing himself to lean against the mystical gem. He pushed himself backward as he slipped to the ground, staring at his muddy shoes once he reached the floor.

“All this time, I’ve been encouragin’ ya to finish the detector. I never stopped to think how much pressure you were puttin’ on yourself.” He looked up at the orange fox once more. “And at Seaside City, I told you to stay out of the fight, not considerin’ your feelings.” He looked away, closing his eyes as a new bout of tears began to form beneath his eyelids. “And then you heard me talkin’ behind your back…sorry ya heard that.”

Tails approached the blue hedgehog, stepping around what remained of the destroyed Chaos Emerald detector, various pieces scattered across the stone ground. 

“No…I don’t hate you, Tails. I could never hate you…” Sonic’s eyelids closed as he shivered, pulling his knees up to his chest.

“Sonic...” The young fox watched as the blue hedgehog placed his face into his knees, his arms wrapped around them.

“Maybe I can treat it?” On his knees, Tails crawled over and carefully analyzed the side of his face. “Let me know if this hurts…” The orange kitsune gently poked the bruise with a gloved finger. Sonic winced, closing the eye closest to the welt as Tails turned to face the cabin. “I’ll go get some ice.” As the fox stood up, though, the hedgehog gently grabbed his namesakes.

“No, Tails…please…jus’ stay with me.” The hedgehog softly pulled the unsuspecting fox backward, Tails falling into Sonic’s lap, his fur still wet from the rain. The young kitsune allowed his heartrate to rest, taking a deep breath as his own fur began to moisten at the blue hedgehog’s touch.

“I’ll stay for as long as you need.”

The two sat quietly for a while. Only the sound of their breathing and the steady flow of rainwater falling over the tent could be heard. The duo watched as the clouds dissipated, and the morning sun began to peek over the horizon. Sonic stopped shivering as the close presence of his little brother provided a sense of tranquility.

After several minutes of mindlessly gazing at the view, the blue hedgehog broke the silence, gently speaking into Tails’ ear.

“Sometimes in life…we win…and we lose. It’s okay to lose from time to time.” Sonic chuckled to himself. “Funny how that’s comin’ from me, huh?”

“Yeah, a little.” Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog, his face no longer weary or stressed. In fact, if not for the bruise on his cheek, the slight puffiness of his eyes, and the dampness of his fur, he would have looked perfectly normal.

“If you can’t get the detector workin’, we’ll find another way to beat Eggman…we always do.” Sonic chuckled to himself once more. “And I want _you_ there with me…not to be in the way, but to defeat Eggman together…like always.”

“…Like always?” Tails looked over at Sonic. “But what about when he kidnapped me and forced you to go Super Sonic? _I_ was the reason we lost the Chaos Emeralds in the first place.”

“No, Tails.” Sonic placed his hands behind his head, gazing into the dimly lit horizon. “That was _my_ call to make. I coulda saved ya without the Chaos Emeralds…I just…” The blue hedgehog’s voice cracked as he collected his thoughts. “…I just…didn’t wanna lose you...” Running a hand through his quills before returning it behind his head, he lightly chuckled. “So, really, I’m to blame here.”

“Sonic…” The blue hedgehog could hear his younger brother sniffling below, a fresh set of tears forming in the orange kitsune’s eyes.

“Hey little bro…” Sonic rustled Tails’ hair. “No need to cry…” As he said this, though, his voice cracked once more as a few small tears escaped his own eyes, falling over the young fox’s head. Feeling the tears splash near his sensitive ears, Tails turned to face his older brother once more.

“…Same for you…big brother…” The two gently laughed as the orange fox settled in, wrapping his namesakes around himself, using the blue hedgehog’s chest for both physical and emotional support.

“…Hey Sonic?”

“Yeah?”

Tails closed his eyes.

“I promise to _never_ hit you again. I’d rather die than cause you pain.”

“…I know, little buddy.” 

As the sun peeked over the horizon, the two brothers slept peacefully against the Master Emerald, the rays drying their fur and tears as they forgot about their worries.

* * *

The rising sun warmed the green hills, silent forest, and azure lake surrounding a secluded, peaceful cottage, the rays slowly evaporating the water from last night’s thunderstorm. This didn’t stop Cream the Rabbit and Cheese the Chao from performing their daily ritual of morning tea at the backyard picnic table, though, even if the young bunny had to dry the table to ensure she didn’t get wet.

Sporting an orange dress and a blue neck bow, Cream poured nothing out of her toy tea kettle, her gloved hand firmly clasping the pot as she meticulously filled the two teacups without spilling.

“Here you go, Cheese!” Cream pushed the tiny teacup to the blue chao sitting on the table next to her.

“Chao, chao!” Inseparable from the young bunny, Cheese had yellow, stubby hands and feet, a small yellow sphere floating over his dumpling-shaped head, small purple wings, and a red bowtie. Playing along, the chao picked up his cup with both hands, lacking the fingers necessary to use the handle as he poured the make-believe substance down his throat. Setting the cup down between his lap, he smiled at the young rabbit.

Taking a sip of her own, Cream looked up at the blue sky, breathing in the fresh, crisp air, a hint of moisture still present from the storm.

“Sure is a lovely day, isn’t it, Cheese?” The blue chao nodded approvingly, taking another sip as they studied the cloudless sky.

The young bunny turned around as she heard the sound of her mother’s footsteps against the wood porch connecting the cottage to the backyard.

“Good morning, Cream,” Vanilla said, gently waiving at her daughter from the topmost stair of the patio. Like Cream, Vanilla sported long, flappy ears and brown eyes, but unlike the younger bunny, she had a tuft of brown hair between her ears. She wore a purple dress below a burgundy vest, a blue neck bow and white gloves completing her outfit. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

“Okay, momma.” Cream smiled back at her mother as the elder rabbit stepped through the sliding glass door leading to the kitchen.

“We should finish our tea, Cheese.” Cream tipped her cup toward her lips as she drained the last of the invisible substance. Leaving the tea set on the picnic table, the bunny climbed up the patio and entered the cottage, Cheese flying beside her.

The young bunny took her seat at the kitchen table, eyeing the large stack of chocolate chip pancakes waiting for her. The bunny grabbed a bottle of maple syrup and generously poured it over her breakfast, the sugary liquid covering nearly the entire top cake as the substance ran down the sides.

Taking a swig of freshly squeezed orange juice, Cream grabbed her utensils and began eating while maintaining proper breakfast table etiquette, just as her mother taught her. Sitting next to his owner on the table, Cheese nibbled at shreds of coconut in his bowl, smiling happily as the inseparable duo enjoyed their breakfast.

Vanilla sat at the opposite side of the table, taking a sip of coffee. “After we clean up, I need to run some errands. Don’t stray too far from the house, okay?”

“All right, momma.” She gave Vanilla a brief smile before returning to her breakfast, eating a banana before returning to her stack of pancakes.

“And if you encounter any danger, remember what Sonic taught you.” Vanilla was referring to the periodic combat training Cream received from the blue hedgehog, who taught her how to implement a spin attack, where she could roll into a ball and deal damage to opponents or travel downhill at great speed.

Vanilla took another sip of her hot beverage as her daughter nodded in agreement, placing the last forkful of syrupy pancakes into her mouth.

As Cream finished off her juice, she gathered her dishes and placed them in the sink, brimming with hot, soapy water. Looking back at the breakfast table, Cream watched as Cheese attempted to lift his own empty bowl, flapping his wings as he struggled to carry the dish with his stubby arms.

“I can get it for you, Cheese.” Cream picked up the bowl and placed it in the sink.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese smiled approvingly as he flew around the kitchen. Meanwhile, Cream helped her mother wipe down the kitchen surfaces, making the room as spotless as it was before breakfast.

“All right Cream, I’m off to the store. I’ll only be gone a short while.” She bent her knees, allowing her daughter to give her a hug.

“Bye bye, momma.” Pulling herself from the embrace, Cream smiled as she watched her mother leave the cottage, walking down the dirt path leading to the nearby small town where she purchased her daily groceries.

“Wanna go play outside again, Cheese?” Cream looked up at the chao hovering in midair. He gave her a nod of approval as the two headed to the backyard.

“What should we do first, Cheese?” Cream looked up at her energetic chao, who, after a few seconds of twirling around, hovered in front of the small bunny, shrugging his shoulders.

“Hmmm…” Cream placed a gloved hand to her chin. “I know! How about we g—” Her thought was interrupted by the sound of a scurrying squirrel running down the side of the tree near the corner of the yard.

“Wonder what spooked the squirrel?” Cream approached the tree as Cheese followed close behind, a worried look on his face.

“No need to be afraid, Cheese.” Cream raised her arms toward the chao, holding Cheese to her chest as the determined rabbit investigated the cause of the squirrel’s fright. She peered up at the tall tree, green leaves covering its thick branches as small drops of water from last night’s storm occasionally dripped to the ground below.

“I don’t see anything. Maybe the squirrel got scared of nothing?” Shrugging her shoulders, the bunny turned around, preparing to plan her next activity with her chao when she caught a glimmering object in the corner of her eye.

“Hmmm?” She faced the tree once more and looked up, noticing a shining object wedged between the branches near the top of the tree.

“All right Cheese, I’m gonna need to set you down for a second.” The bunny placed the chao on the grass a few feet away from the tree before running her gloved hands along her long ears. She firmly planted her feet to the ground, bending her knees slightly as she prepared to retrieve the shining object. Finally, she leapt upward, floating in the air by flapped her ears. Looking up, Cream flapped with greater intensity, lifting herself higher as she approached the top of the tree.

The rabbit placed her feet on a branch directly below the shiny item, holding onto the upper branches with her hands to keep herself balanced. Tiptoeing along, she slowly approached the central trunk, pressing her body against the bark as she prepared to grab the object directly above. Raising a single hand in the air, Cream snagged the item, pulling it down to eye level.

“Wait…this is…a Chaos Emer—” Before she could finish her thought, she felt the branch directly below her beginning to crack under her weight.

“Uh oh.”

With gem in hand, she maneuvered herself as fast as she could to the tip of the branch, jumping as the large twig fell to the ground below. Using her ears, Cream slowed her own descent as she hovered down to the patch of grass where she left Cheese, the chao sighing in relief as his creased, worried face gave way to a bright smile.

“It’s okay, Cheese.” She smiled at the chao, rubbing her cheeks against Cheese’s face, tickling him before setting the chao back down.

“Look what I found.” She lowered the gray Chaos Emerald to Cheese’s face, the blue chao looking at it with curiosity in his eyes before rubbing the mystical gem with his stubby hands.

“We should tell Sonic!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese enthusiastically agreed as Cream made her way back to the house, hoping to give the blue hedgehog a call.

As the bunny was about to open the sliding glass door, however, she heard a rumbling sound rapidly approaching. She turned around to witness a dozen Egg Pawns tearing through the brick hedge bordering the backyard. Behind these robots appeared Dr. Eggman, riding in his floating Egg Mobile, a birdcage-like structure dangling from his personal transport. Cheese hid behind Cream’s short legs, peering out from behind to capture a glimpse of the menacing madman.

“Wooahhooohoohooo! If it isn’t Cream the Rabbit! How are you doing on this splendid day?” The sarcasm dripped from his lips as he gave the young bunny a sinister smile.

“What do you want, Eggman? Can’t you just leave us alone?” Cream kept her hands behind her back, shielding the Chaos Emerald from Eggman’s view.

“I’m afraid not, my dear Cream.” Robotnik snickered as his small battalion of robots stepped closer to the wood patio. “My readings indicate you are harboring a Chaos Emerald. Is this true? I’d very much like to add it to my collection, you know.” His smile grew even wider, showing his white teeth as he eyed the frightened rabbit.

“W…what’re you talking about? I…I don’t have a…Chaos Emerald…” Cream looked away from the evil doctor.

“I’m afraid you’re just as bad at lying as you are at hiding things behind your back.” Cream’s face turned to shock as she dropped the Chaos Emerald. Looking forward, she saw the closest Egg Pawn stomping its way up the patio, splintering the wood as the group got closer to the little bunny.

“I’m warning you…to back off…” Cream kicked the mystical gem to the side and picked Cheese up from the ground. Once worried, Cheese now wore a stern look of determination, ready to join the young rabbit in vanquishing the entourage of mechanical slaves.

“Oh yeah? You and what army?” Eggman massaged his mustache as a group of Egg Pawns formed a semicircle around Cream and Cheese, the bunny’s back against the glass door.

“You asked for it.” Cream raised her arm back as Cheese rolled into a ball.

“Let’s get ‘em, Cheese!”

“Chao, chao!”

The determined rabbit threw her arm forward, launching the chao directly at the nearest robot. Cheese’s collision knocked the Egg Pawn back, static forming all around the machine as it fell to the patio floor, a chao-sized dent in its torso. Cheese ricocheted back to his owner, landing in Cream’s hand as she prepared to launch him again.

“Grrr…that _silly_ rabbit. Doesn’t she realize tricks like that aren’t for kids?” Eggman turned his attention to his remaining solders, pointing at the young bunny.

“Egg Pawns: ATTAAAAACK!” 

Cream threw her chao projectile once more. Cheese smashed one of the robots at an angle, bouncing off several more pawns like a pinball before returning to his master, leaving a trail of destruction behind.

A new wave of machines kicked the debris of their fallen comrades aside as they ran toward the young bunny. Unable to launch another attack in time, Cream rolled herself into a ball and performed a spindash through the wood railing of the patio, gripping Cheese tightly against her chest as she landed on her feet in the yard below, putting a small distance between themselves and the remaining forces.

The first robot to approach Cream in the yard wielded an Egg Gun, a cartoonish-looking weapon with a similar color scheme as its mechanical user. Cream cradled the blue chao, still catching her breath as sweat rolled down her brow.

The bunny lunged to the side as the mechanical soldier fired a laser blast. The beam hit the large tree in the corner of the yard, bark exploding everywhere upon impact.

As she dove, the young rabbit threw Cheese toward the Egg Pawn. The robot dropped its laser gun as it fell backward, sparks flying in all directions as the chao bounced back to his owner once more.

“I must say,” Eggman began, maneuvering his Egg Mobile closer to the heroic duo, “you two pack quite a punch…for a pair of small fries.” Itching his chin, Eggman gave them another menacing smile. “I’ll give you one last chance to surrender the Chaos Emerald to me. If you comply, I _may_ spare myself the trouble of keeping you as my prisoner.”

“No way!” She balled her hands into fists as she leaned forward, fire in her eyes. She stepped closer to Eggman’s personal transport, Cheese floating alongside his determined master. “We won’t back down to a bully like you, Eggman!”

“Chao, chao!” As the rabbit placed her hands against her hips, so too did the blue chao, both eyeing the doctor with a level of determination and fearlessness well beyond their young years.

“Very well, I guess we have to do this the hard way, then.” Eggman snapped his fingers before two Egg Pawns grabbed the heroes from behind. “Although with you two in my care, it’ll make getting what I want much easier.” As Cream and Cheese unsuccessfully struggled to pull away from the Egg Pawns’ metallic grasps, Robotnik peered down at an unoccupied soldier, standing at the ready.

“You there!” Eggman pointed at the machine, the pawn instantly saluting the evil doctor. “Go fetch the Chaos Emerald so we can be on our way.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Huh?” The evil doctor set his sights on the motherly voice coming from the porch. Vanilla held the grey gem in her hand as she glared at Eggman from the damaged patio.

“How _dare_ you, picking on a young girl and her pet chao!” She briskly walked across the porch, intending to chew him out up close.

“Egg Pawns, retrieve the Chaos Emerald from this rabbit by any means necessary!” Eggman yelled as he pointed toward Vanilla, the remaining five unoccupied, undamaged robots swarming the elder bunny.

“No momma! Don’t do it!” Cream and Cheese were hastily thrown into the birdcage dangling from the Egg Mobile, the two colliding with the metal bars on the opposite side, wincing at the resulting pain as they stood up in their new prison. “Run away! Please don’t get hurt!”

“Cream…” Vanilla watched as her daughter’s eyes filled with tears, the little bunny’s hands clasping the rusty bars of the cage as she begged her mother to flee. Vanilla turned her gaze up to Eggman, staring into his glasses-covered eyes with a menacing glare.

“No…I’m gonna protect Cream…at all costs!”

The Egg Pawns ascended the damaged patio, lunging directly toward the older bunny. Bending her knees, Vanilla dodged the diving pawn’s attack, chopping its back from behind as she spun around to meet her next opponent, her motherly instincts manifesting in a way which rivaled Robotnik’s forces. The mechanical soldier fell over, sparks encompassing the downed robot.

“…M…momma?” Cream was in shock, having never seen her mother so much as lift a fork in anger let alone take down an Eggman robot.

“Who’s next?” Vanilla bent her knees, pulling her arm forward as she extended and retracted her gloved fingers into her palm, beckoning her next challenger to approach the impromptu wooden ring. As if on cue, another Egg Pawn, this one wielding a lance, threw itself at the rabbit with brute force. Vanilla dodged, the robot’s spear shattering the door as the pawn fell on a long shard of glass, permanently putting it out of commission.

Without missing a beat, Vanilla punched another pawn in the face, causing its panel-like teeth to dim as the robotic soldier flew backward, tumbling down the dilapidated stairs.

“Grrr…you insolent rabbit! I’ve had enough of your tricks!” Robotnik flew his Egg Mobile upward, carrying his captors with him. “If you don’t throw me the Chaos Emerald, I’ll drop your precious daughter to the ground below.” Eggman laughed, his bellowing voice echoing into Vanilla’s large ears. “If she’s lucky, Cream _may_ come out of it with merely a broken leg…or two.”

“Cream!” Vanilla jumped over the shattered wooden steps, landing in the grass as she helplessly watched Cream and Cheese from below.

“So what will it be?” Eggman massaged his mustache, grinning in satisfaction as he peered down at the distraught mother. “The Chaos Emerald for the safety of your daughter? Sounds like a reasonable trade if you ask me. Wooahhooohoohooo!”

Vanilla gripped the grey gem in her hand, her arm shaking as tears began to flow down her face. “Okay Eggman…you win…just don’t hurt her.”

“No way! Give me the emerald first!” Robotnik reached an arm down along the side of the Egg Mobile, a smirk growing on his face as he readied himself to catch the gem.

“…Okay…” She cleared her tears with her arm as she prepared to throw the emerald up to the evil doctor.

“No momma! Don’t do it! He’s tricking you!” Tears were falling from Cream’s muzzle as she shook the metal bars, hoping to persuade her mother to keep the gem, but it was too late; Vanilla threw the grey emerald upward, the gem whizzing past the birdcage before landing in Eggman’s gloved hand. Eyeing it intently, he gave a bellowing laugh as he turned the Egg Mobile around.

“Wait! You have the emerald, now give me back my daughter!”

“Oh, was _that_ the agreement now?” Robotnik snickered. “All I said was that your daughter would be safe. I never mentioned anything about returning her!” Eggman’s laughter dissipated as his Egg Mobile zipped away, taking Cream and Cheese along for the ride. The remaining Egg Pawns followed them on foot, leaving Vanilla alone in the backyard battlefield. 

The distraught mother collapsed to the ground, the wet grass staining her dress as tears flowed down her face. “Oh Cream…I’m so sorry…” She stared aimlessly at the ground, machine parts strewn about her as she replayed her daughter’s kidnapping over and over in her head, tears dripping from her muzzle and landing on her knees.

After what felt like forever, Vanilla stumbled to her feet, the physical and emotional toll from the fight and the loss of her daughter catching up to the weary rabbit as she stepped over the destroyed Egg Pawn blocking the back entrance of her cottage.

Making her way to the kitchen counter, Vanilla leaned forward as she struggled to pull a phone toward her, dialing a set of numbers before placing it to her ear.

“Hey Vanilla! How is it going?”

“Amy…please…help me…he…Eggman…took Cream…”

“…Please help...”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 9!**

**To allow myself and my beta reader more time to write and edit, I’m be uploading future chapters biweekly, possibly a few days before my self-imposed deadlines. Therefore, chapter 10 will arrive no later than August 13, 2020 at 6:30 PM United States Central Time (CST). In the meantime, I relish any and all feedback!**


	10. Open Your Heart

“Oh Cheese…what should we do?”

Cream sat against the rusted bars of the portable birdcage dangling from Dr. Robotnik’s Egg Mobile, flying high over the green hills below.

“Chao chao…” Cheese gave the distraught rabbit a hug, wrapping its small body around her belly.

“Thank you, Cheese.” She turned her head to the side, watching the land below as she allowed her arms to fall to her sides. “I guess there isn’t anything we can do right now.” Pulling herself up by the bars, she planted her feet on the metallic surface and furrowed her brow, a new sense of determination washing over her.

“Sonic will save us…I _know_ he will.” She looked over at the chao, who since found a spot on her shoulder to rest upon. “We just need to have faith. I’m sure momma’s already called Sonic and is waiting for us at Eggman’s hideout.”

“Quit your yappin’ down there! I’m _trying_ to enjoy the view!” Eggman’s angry voice startled the young chao, but the bunny remained as determined as ever.

“You’re not gonna get away with this, Eggman! Sonic will stop you for sure.”

“Oh really?” Eggman gave a bellowing laugh. “We shall see about that!” The evil doctor flipped a switch in his Egg Mobile and cleared his throat as a holographic video image appeared before him. A small, blackish-blue robot was lying on a table, reading a comic book as his hand plundered an open box of Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate chip cookies, bopping his head to the music through his earbuds.

“What is this? Bokkun! Are you slacking off on the job?” The robot didn’t respond, instead taking a sip of soda through a straw as his beady, lime green eyes remained glued to the book. Turning the page with his gloved hands, the small robot laughed in a high-pitched voice before burping rudely and filling his cheeks with several cookies.

Eggman’s face grew red with anger.

“ARE YOU DEAF, BOKKUN!?”

The robot blinked a few times as he looked forward, crumbs covering his face.

“Ahh, Doctor Eggman!” Bokkun said in a muffled voice, spewing cookie bits out of his mouth as he stood up, kicking over his soda while giving his creator a salute. The large yellow M on his torso gleamed in the artificial light of his monitor, his large, pointy ears stiff, and his red boots clasped together.

“Now _that’s_ more like it.” The vein on Robotnik’s forehead receded. “Prepare the camcorder. We have a special message to deliver Sonic and his _miserable_ friends.”

“Aye aye Doctor!” As Eggman’s image disappeared from the monitor, Bokkun sat back down on the table, eyeing the dark, sticky beverage dripping to the floor below. His attention then turned to the half-eaten box of cookies. He grabbed a few more, shoving them into his mouth before leaping off the table, allowing his body to hover with the jetpack attached to his back. He gleefully gave a muffled laugh as he flew down the hallway, entering a storage room full of small, yellow CRT televisions.

“Hmmm…” He raised a finger to his chin as he scanned the room. “Which one should I use today?” Taking a few more seconds to ponder, he decided on the identical television nearest him. Carrying it with his small arms, he nearly fell backward as he began to walk out into the hallway. Wobbling to the side as he strode onward, Bokkun made it to a small recording studio, complete with overhanging lights and sound dampeners covering the walls. Setting the television down, he floated up to the video camera already stationed on a tall tripod.

“Let’s see…” He stuck his teal-colored tongue out the side of his mouth as he configured the settings, rotating the focus ring mounted to the lens. Spinning the small preview monitor around, Bokkun floated into view of the camera. After sticking out his tongue, flexing his arms, and performing mid-air somersaults in front of the camcorder, he got out of the shot, chuckling to himself as he turned off the device to preserve battery.

As Bokkun turned to the door, Eggman stepped inside with Decoe and Bocoe following behind, pushing the caged bunny and chao on a dolly. The small robot winced at the sight of the captured rabbit, his mechanical heart beginning to pound as a drop of perspiration formed over his brow.

_Cream…_

“Hey Bokkun?” Decoe asked, waving his metallic hand in front of the small robot’s face. “You need a reboot or something?”

“Hello?” Bocoe added, tapping Bokkun’s spherical head, nudging him back into reality.

“W…what?” He looked up at the two taller robots and the evil doctor standing above him.

“Go man the camera before I disassemble you for parts!” Eggman barked, pointing toward the camcorder he had set up moments ago.

“R…right.” Bokkun flew up to the video camera, adjusting the focus as he stared through the lens with a beady eye. He sighed to himself as he positioned the camera so Robotnik was front and center, Cream’s portable prison in the corner.

“All right Bokkun, let’s get this show on the road.” Eggman cleared his throat, adjusting his red jacket as the small robot pressed the record button, shuddering at the sight of the distressed, imprisoned bunny. The small robot could hardly pay attention to the evil doctor’s words or turn the camera to match his movements; his eyes focused on Cream shaking in her cell, a sense of sadness filling his heart.

As Eggman continued giving his speech, Bokkun turned his face away from the eyepiece, instead pulling a heart-shaped locket out from inside his glove. With sad eyes, he looked at the happy picture of Cream within before sighing once more, slipping the locket back into his glove as he returned his attention to the recording at hand. 

* * *

The sensation of something against his black nose woke Sonic from his peaceful slumber. Slowly opening his eyes, he watched as a butterfly rested against it, fluttering its wings as if to give him a show. Smiling to himself, the blue hedgehog raised a gloved hand toward his nose, allowing the butterfly to hop onto the tip of his index finger, staying in place as Sonic pulled his hand toward the side.

As the insect flew away, Sonic drew in a deep breath, allowing the moisture-filled air to fill his lungs as he sighed heavily, looking off into the distance to witness the sun glistening over the ocean surrounding Angel Island.

“What a morning.” Sonic placed his hands behind his head, looking up into the cloudless sky before noticing a slight pain emanating from his face. He winced as he inspected the bruise with a gloved finger.

_What do I tell Amy when she sees my face?_

Sonic looked up at the blue sky, taking in the pristine view as he wondered how to fib to the pink hedgehog.

_Surely I can’t tell her the truth. That’d be too embarrassing for Tails._

After a few minutes of aimlessly studying the horizon, an idea popped into Sonic’s head.

 _I know! I’ll just tell her I tripped in the storm last night. Yeah…I…hit my face while climbing the stairs. She’ll_ definitely _believe that!_

The blue hedgehog chuckled to himself as his gaze turned downward. He observed as his younger brother slept against his chest, breathing softly, his namesakes wrapped snuggly around his torso.

“Heh…okay little buddy…a few more minutes.” Sonic closed his eyes, his hands supporting his head against the Master Emerald as he went back to sleep.

* * *

Tails found himself in a white void, nothing distinguishable within his field of vision.

“This is odd.”

The orange fox peered around as he walked forward, his shoes clicking against the invisible floor as he seemingly made no progress in reaching his unknown destination. Before the young kitsune could further question this eerily familiar location, though, he heard a beeping sound coming from his utility belt. Fishing within its deep pockets, Tails felt what was making the noise.

“No…it can’t be.”

He peered down at the circular object, cracks all across its glass casing. Despite the damage, a dot was blinking on its screen.

“Hmmm…the radar is detecting an emerald a few hundred yards away.” The fox kept his eyes glued to his tracker as he marched onward, no thoughts on his mind other than reaching the location indicated by the device.

As if out of nowhere, the young fox walked face first into a stone wall. He rubbed his head only to find no pain. Taking his hand off his undamaged face, he looked up.

“Ah, must be the backside of the Master Emerald shrine.” Proving his hypothesis correct, the orange kitsune walked along its perimeter to reveal the same stone steps he had used numerous times in recent memory. Taking a deep breath, he climbed the stairs until he reached the top.

“Huh? What _is_ this?”

The Master Emerald was sitting in its normal place, but leaning against the mystical gem was Sonic the Hedgehog, sleeping against the side with his hands resting behind his head, a smile on his face.

“And that’s…me?” Tails studied what appeared to be himself sleeping against Sonic’s chest, his namesakes blanketing him as he rested peacefully in the care of his older brother.

_“Tails…Tails…”_

“Who’s there?” Tails looked around as he tried finding the source of the high-pitched, feminine voice calling out his name. Taking a few steps forward, he heard a crunching sound beneath his feet. Moving his foot away, he gazed in horror at the broken detector he had smashed the night before, components and bits of glass strewn all around. Pulling out the detector from his utility belt once more, he visually compared the broken mess on the stone floor with the tracker in his hand, the blinking dot hovering in the center of the screen.

_“Tails…listen to me…”_

“Show yourself!” Tails yelled, putting the working contraption back in his pocket as he looked around frantically, hoping to find the source of the voice.

_“The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power…power enriched by the heart.”_

“W…what does it all mean? Who are you?” Tails circled the Master Emerald, finding nobody hiding.

_“The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos.”_

Tails flew upward, planting his feet on top of the mystical gem before spinning his body around, scanning the void surrounding the shrine.

“Nothing…” The fox placed a gloved finger to his chin as he heard the voice once more.

_“Open your heart, and your path will be made clear. Believe in Chaos…and yourself…”_

“Believe in Chaos…and…myself?”

Tails pondered these words as he sat down on the Master Emerald, his namesakes fluttering as he stared up into the white nothingness above, propping himself up with his hands.

“Heh…if that’s all, I’m ready to wake up now.” He laid down with a smile on his face, his back cool against the top of the mystical gem, placing his hands behind his head for support.

“Wait until Sonic hears about this one.” As he thought about his older brother, recent memories flooded his mind, a tear escaping his eye as he wore a warm smile. Drying his face with a gloved finger, he stood up once more, cupping his hands around his mouth.

“Listen up…ummm…lady! Me and Sonic will crack your riddles and fix the detector! Just you wait!” Yelling into the empty void, he caught himself nearly slipping off the shiny surface of the gem before regaining his composure and continuing his speech. “I’ll believe in myself and Chaos and anything else too for that matter! With Sonic by my side, anything is possible!” He put his arms back to his side, his voice no longer echoing through the abyss.

“Anything…is possible.”

As he was about to fly off the Master Emerald, the ground beneath him began to shake. Balancing on one foot, Tails used his namesakes as additional support as the emerald emitted flashing green lights, static appearing all around the kitsune as dark clouds formed over the white emptiness above.

“Ahh!” Tails slipped backward, landing on his behind as he slowly slid off the front end of the Master Emerald.

“At this rate, I’ll fall on top of Sonic!” The orange fox tried using his hands to prevent himself from slipping further, but it was a futile endeavor; his fingers could not gain traction with the gem’s smooth surface.

“If this is a dream, then Sonic should be fine…but still!” Tails dangled off the side of the mystical gem by one hand, looking down to see the blue hedgehog and himself still sleeping peacefully below, except the base of the Master Emerald was much further away than he remembered. He shook his head as the ground stretched downward until he could barely make out a blue and orange dot below.

Looking back at the edge of the gem’s surface, he gritted his teeth as he attempted to pull himself up, a few more fingers losing their grip as he struggled to keep himself from falling.

“I know! I’ll use my tails!” Spinning his namesakes, he attempted to flee the shaking Master Emerald, but to no avail; a force beyond his control or understanding prevented him from taking flight.

“Figures…I hate dreams.” Tails closed his eyes as his pinkie finger slipped from the Master Emerald. Taking in a deep breath, he accepted his fate, allowing his body to fall back first with arms outstretched.

_“Believe in Chaos.”_

_“And believe in yourself.”_

These were the final words the young kitsune heard as the Master Emerald drew further away, his body falling into the endless white chasm below.

* * *

Opening his eyes once more, Sonic was nudged awake by the rustling of his younger brother against his chest. The blue hedgehog looked down, feeling the kitsune’s heartrate rise against him as his breathing became labored.

“Hey little guy, it’ll be all right.” Sonic combed his hands through the namesakes still wrapped around Tails’ torso. The orange fox’s breathing and heartbeat returned to normal as he slowly opened his eyes.

“Wakey wakey, sleepy head.” Sonic patted Tails’ legs as the young kitsune rubbed his eyes, his sight still adjusting to the sunlight.

“W…what time is it?” His voice was groggy as he slapped his hands against his furry face in an attempt to wake himself up.

“I dunno.” Sonic raised his wristwatch communicator so both of them could see the large 11:00 AM figure blinking in and out of existence through the glass casing. “Heh, I guess we needed the sleep, huh buddy?”

“I suppose.” Tails was the first to pull himself up, unfurling his namesakes from his chest and he planted his feet against the stone surface of the Master Emerald shrine. The kitsune turned around to see his older brother stretching his arms upward, still sitting against the mystical gem behind them. Sonic paused as an outstretched hand hovered in front of him, smiling as he grabbed hold of Tails’ palm, allowing his younger brother to pull him up.

“I could go for a chiro appointment, though.” Sonic stretched his back, cracking sounds emanating from the blue hedgehog’s bones before placing his hands against his hips, looking into the clear blue sky.

Tails smiled up at the tranquil blue hedgehog, not a worry in the world. Noticing something out of place, though, he squinted his eyes, studying Sonic’s muzzle. 

“Hey Sonic, your face!” The orange fox pointed up at Sonic’s cheek as the blue hedgehog looked down, raising a hand to touch his muzzle.

“What about it?” Sonic felt around until he reached his bruise, except the dull pain he expected to feel was nowhere to be found. “What the…” Sonic dashed down the stone stairs of the Master Emerald shrine and bent over to look into a reflection of himself in a puddle along the dirt pathway leading to Knuckles’ cabin.

“Well I’ll be darned…” Pressing his fingers against his chin, Sonic moved his face around, eyeing his reflection intently as he tried to find any sign that the welt had ever existed.

“Hey Tails!” Sonic yelled from the base of the shrine, cupping his hands around his mouth. “My bruise is gone! Strange, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, strange…” The fox rubbed his chin as he looked across the valley in thought.

_But how? The bruise should have remained on his face for at least a week, if not longer. I know Sonic recovers from injuries relatively quickly, but nothing quite like this. Unless…_

Tails turned himself around, staring at the Master Emerald glimmering in the sunlight.

“Is this…the power of Chaos?”

“Power of what now?” Sonic asked, zooming back up the stairs and standing next to his younger brother, as if materializing out of thin air.

“…I think the Master Emerald healed you.”

“Huh?” Sonic looked at the orange fox with a dumbstruck expression. “Can it even do that?”

“Well,” Tails began, rubbing the back of his head with his hand, “I had another dream last night…about the Master Emerald.”

“And you think this dream helped fix my face?” Sonic ran a hand through his blue quills.

“I don’t know.” Tails stepped toward the Master Emerald, placing his palm against the mystical gem. “I hate to admit it, but it almost feels like magic.”

“Magic? You of all people believin’ in _magic_?” The two shared a laughed, Sonic rubbing the base of his black nose as the orange kitsune smiled up at his older brother.

“Mobians throughout history have attributed unexplainable phenomena to some sort of mystical, godlike, magical power. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation, though…if I’m ever gonna get my detector working, I’ll have to find out what it is.” Sonic stepped over to the orange fox, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sure you will, little bro…but remember what we talked about last night.” The blue hedgehog gently pointed his index finger in the young kitsune’s direction.

“Yeah, I know…don’t be too hard on myself n’ all.” Tails replied while nodding, giving the blue hedgehog an additional level of reassurance.

“Right on!” Sonic gave him a thumbs up, which he returned in kind. “Now let’s say we get some grub, huh?”

“Now that you mention it,” Tails looked downward, rubbing his belly as his stomach gurgled, “I _am_ getting kinda hungry.”

“I’m sure Knuckles has a cure for that…let’s just hope it isn’t made of pumpkin this time!” They chuckled once more as the blue hedgehog began his descent down the shrine. Tails was about to take his first step as well, but he froze, turning back to face the Master Emerald once more.

“Thank you…for healing Sonic.” Tails returned to the mystical gem, rubbing it with a gloved hand, a feeling of warmth radiating through his palm.

“Hey, you comin’ or what?” Sonic yelled from the base of the shrine.

“Coming, Sonic!” Revving up his namesakes, Tails flew down the stairway, joining Sonic as they made their way back to Knuckles’ cabin, enjoying the sun against their fur and the light wind carrying the scent of the trees and the ocean to their nostrils.

As they entered the red echidna’s abode, they found everyone else was up as well. 

“Hey Knuckles! What’s cracki—” Sonic’s question was cut off as he watched Amy yelling into Knuckles’ face.

“What do you mean you don’t have any breakfast?!” Amy’s face grew red as she glared menacingly at the red echidna. 

“Well I don’t exactly keep a whole lot of food around the house, you know.” Knuckles kept his cool, choosing to keep his eyes closed, his forehead facing the floor. “And besides, even if I had food, my kitchen is a total mess! It’ll almost be noon by the time I clean it all up.”

“…Okay, fair enough.” Amy turned around, frustration still emanating from her.

“Amy’s got a point, though,” Rouge said, sitting at the kitchen table, keeping her head held up with her arms. “We can’t plan our next move on an empty stomach.”

“You’re gonna help us after all?” Amy asked, confusion written on her face as she turned to face the bat.

“Yeah…why not?” She shrugged he shoulders. “I don’t want Eggman to collect all the emeralds just as much as you guys, and anything to get me closer to Knucky here is a win-win for me.” The jewel thief gave the red echidna a long wink, her eyelashes fluttering as Knuckles’ face turned red.

“Yeah, think whatever you’d like,” the red echidna replied. “As long as we have your help, that’s all I care about.”

“Suit yourself, Knucky.” Rouge smiled at the red echidna as Sonic laughed from the entryway. Tails covered his mouth as he snickered alongside his older brother.

“So what are we gonna do about food then?” Amy asked.

“I think I know!” The party turned to Tails, who raised a finger upward, closing his eyes as he wore a bright smile. “I happen to keep a supply of provisions in the Tornado 2, as well as basic cooking equipment just for such emergencies.” The fox turned to Knuckles. “Why don’t you start a campfire so we don’t dirty up your kitchen even more.” He then turned to his older brother. “Hey Sonic, wanna race me back to the plane?”

“Would I?” Sonic’s lips broadened into a smile at the prospect. “You know me too well.”

“Heh, I know.” Tails itched the base of his nose in satisfaction, unintentionally imitating the blue hedgehog. Sonic smiled back at the orange fox, feeling truly hopeful about his younger brother for the first time in what felt like ages.

_Glad to see you back, Tails._

“Last one there’s a rotten Eggman!” Tails bolted out the entrance, leaving Sonic behind.

“Hey, no fair!” The blue hedgehog shook himself from his stupor before running after his younger brother, leaving the cabin door wide open as the two made their way back to the biplane.

“Those two are something else,” Rouge observed.

“Yeah, I’ll say,” Knuckles replied, snorting as he left the cabin, walking along its perimeter until he came to the wooden awning on the opposite side, fetching a pile of logs kept dry from the evening rain.

* * *

As Knuckles prepared the bonfire, Sonic and Tails were racing neck and neck, rapidly approaching the Tornado 2’s resting spot. Skidding to a stop, the blue hedgehog rolled himself into a ball, charging a spindash that would help him overtake the young fox.

Sonic launched himself forward, but instead of seeing the orange kitsune running in the distance, he watched as Tails remained still directly in the middle of the narrow path, his namesakes fluttering as he tightened his fists.

The blue hedgehog was rolling too fast to stop his momentum or dodge around the young fox. As he thought he was about to careen into him, Tails stepped to the side, charging his namesakes before whipping them toward the blue hedgehog, launching him back the other way like a tennis ball.

 _That clever lil’ kid_.

“Sayonara, Sonic!” The orange kitsune snickered as he sped onward, widening the gap between them.

Sonic gradually flew back down the path, a slight curve in his projection causing him to careen higher. Holding out his arms at just the right time, the blue hedgehog grabbed onto a thick tree branch, his body twirling around several times before letting go, allowing himself to launch forward once more, rolling rapidly toward the unsuspecting fox.

“Huh?” Tails looked backward as his namesakes carried him closer to the Tornado 2, watching as a spherical blue form approached him. “Impossible! How could he have recovered that quickly?” Turning forward once more, the young kitsune increased the speed of his rotary tails, matching Sonic’s velocity as the blue hedgehog unfurled himself from spherical form and ran alongside his little brother.

“That was a clever move you had there, little guy.” Sonic smiled at Tails, giving him a thumbs up.

“Heh, not as much as your speedy recovery. How’d you do it?” Tails was huffing under his breath while the blue hedgehog showed no sign of exhaustion.

“Let’s just say you didn’t account for tree branches and my hands.” Sonic waved his palms forward, bits of bark still stuck to his gloves. The two chuckled under their breath as they picked up their speed.

“Almost…there…” Sweat formed along Tails’ brow as he reached his hands forward. “Whoever…touches the…plane first wins…”

“Right.” Sonic’s face turned serious, running with his arms behind his back as the two nearly closed the gap between themselves and the aircraft. “Time to finish this.”

As Tails blinked, he noticed a blue streak speed by, Sonic disappearing before his eyes.

“What the heck?” Tails jumped through a set of bushes, entering the clearing containing the grassy landing strip. The fox looked on as Sonic waved at him, lying on one of the plane’s wings, keeping his head upright with his other arm. Finally reaching the plane himself, Tails placed the palms of his hands against the metallic side of the Tornado 2. The orange kitsune breathed heavily, sweat rolling down his brow as he allowed himself a much-needed break.

“Ya did good, Tails.” Sonic jumped off the wing and patted his younger brother on the shoulder. “To be honest, I was worried there for a sec.”

“Heh…thanks...” Tails cracked a smile between labored breaths as he looked up at the blue hedgehog.

“You’re one of the only ones who can even come _close_ to my speed. Just think how lazy I’d get without you ‘round!” Chuckling once more, Tails wiped the sweat from his forehead before fishing around his utility belt. After allowing his hand to search every pocket contained therein, the fox’s eyes turned wide, his jaw dropping in shock as his pupils shrank.

“What’s the matter, lil’ bro?”

“…I forgot the keys.”

* * *

The sun was high in the sky, morning giving way to afternoon as the dynamic duo returned to the cabin for the second time. Sonic and Tails carried sealed bags of flavored oatmeal, a pot, small bowls, a set of spoons, and a ladle. Boiling tap water over the bonfire near to the edge of the floating island, Tails dumped a large packet of instant oats into the water, allowing the contents to cook and absorb. After stirring the pot, scooping a ladle-full of the oatmeal and lifting it to eye-level for a more thorough inspection, the young kitsune poured the breakfast into each of the small bowls before filling the pot with another container of water, placing it over the firepit once more, as he anticipated the group would be hungry for seconds.

“Wow Tails, this is really good!” Amy exclaimed, her face filling with color as a new sense of vigor pulsed through her.

“Yeah, way to go!” Knuckles added, giving the orange fox a hefty fist bump. Tails retracted his arm, blowing against his knuckles as he chuckled nervously.

“Now _this_ is a meal fit for a hedgehog!” Sonic took several large, rapid bites before freezing, his face contorting as he pulled the silverware from his mouth.

“Water, water!” Sonic yelped as Tails handed him a bottle of H2O. The blue hedgehog gulped it down rapidly before sticking his tongue out and licking the palm of his gloved hand.

“Eww, gross Sonic!” Amy gave her boyfriend a pointed look, Sonic stopping mid-lick to match her glare.

“Whaa? ‘eye ‘oug ‘urs.” Sonic turned his face around, blowing air out of his mouth with the hopes of cooling down his burnt tongue.

“What he was trying to say,” Tails said, raising a finger in the air, “was ‘What? My tongue hurts!’” The friends laughed merrily as Sonic ran around the perimeter of the bonfire several times before finally setting himself back down on a makeshift log chair, picking up his warm bowl to continue eating.

“Well, if there’re no objections,” Knuckles began, looking out across the fire, “I think we can finally start planning our next course of action.”

“Before we do that,” Tails stood up, scratching the back of his head, “I…had another vision last night.”

“Another vision?” Knuckles raised a gloved finger to his chin.

“At least I think it was.” The young fox told the party about his dream, describing every last detail of his experience and the mysterious lady’s cryptic message.

“I wonder what it all means?” Sonic asked himself, looking toward his equally puzzled little brother.

“I think I know…” Knuckles stood up and walked toward the edge of the cliff, taking in the sight and sound of the ocean waves below.

“You do?” Tails walked toward the red echidna, observing him as he carefully studied the oceanscape stretching as far as the eye could see.

“I think you’re approaching the Master Emerald all wrong.” Knuckles turned to the orange fox. “You’re trying to study it _scientifically_. To unlock its secrets, you have to go _beyond_ logic and reason.” He grabbed the kitsune’s hands, who gasped in surprise. “ _Trust_ the Master Emerald. Place your _faith_ in the Master Emerald. Treat it like a friend instead of an experiment.”

Tails sighed to himself, allowing his hands to return to his sides as Knuckles let go of his wrists. Turning toward the ocean view, the fox sat down, holding his head up with his hands as he lost himself in thought.

 _How do I even_ begin _to understand something so…illogical?_

The orange kitsune knew in his heart Knuckles was right, even if he couldn’t provide a suitable explanation.

Knuckles placed a gloved paw against Tails’ shoulder.

“It may seem difficult, but as long as you open your heart, the Master Emerald will guide the way.”

Tails turned his head to face Knuckles once more before his gaze wondered down to the red echidna’s worn red and yellow shoes. Finally, the young kitsune furrowed his brow, looking back up at Knuckles with determination in his eyes.

“I don’t pretend to understand it all, but there’s one thing I _do_ know.” Tails stood up, walking back to the bonfire, his friends staring back at him. “I’ll keep on trying! I’ll ‘open my heart’ a hundred times if I have to!”

Sitting back down on his log seat, the fox was greeted by Sonic’s hand patting him on the shoulder. Tails returned the gesture with a determined smile before picking up his bowl, eating as he enjoyed the company of his friends.

 _I’m so lucky to have them. I’d be lost without my pals…_ especially _Sonic._

He looked up at the blue hedgehog, whose pinkie finger was wedged between his molars.

“Here, Sonic.” Tails withdrew a toothpick from his utility belt and placed it in the palm of Sonic’s free hand.

“Ah, you’re a life saver!” The blue hedgehog replaced his pinkie with the pick, dislodging an oat from between his back teeth.

Tails smiled back at him as he grabbed his spoon. Before he could take another bite, however, he heard a familiar ringing sound coming from the opposite side of the bonfire. 

“Oh, hold on a sec,” Amy said, raising her wristwatch communicator to her face.

_Ah, that was one of the ringtones I programmed into her phone._

The fox blew into his spoonful of oatmeal as Amy pressed a button on her watch, Vanilla’s name blinking in bold letters across its screen.

“Hey Vanilla! How is it going?”

“Amy…please…help me…he…Eggman…took Cream…please help…”

“I don’t understand.” A look of worry struck the pink hedgehog’s face as the rest of the party listened in to the call from around the campfire. “Are you saying Eggman kidnapped Cream?” The elder bunny didn’t immediately respond, too overcome with tears and grief to remain coherent. Finally, after blowing her nose into a handkerchief, she spoke once more.

“Y…yes. Cream was so tough…so fearless for someone her age. She destroyed many of Eggman’s robots before her capture. I tried to stop him, but…” A new wave of sobs interrupted Vanilla’s explanation.

“There, there, it’ll be okay.” Amy tried to soothe the motherly bunny as much as anyone could from such a long distance.

“…he even tricked me into throwing him a Chaos Emerald. I’m such a fool…”

“A Chaos Emerald?” Knuckles asked, speaking over Vanilla’s crying. “Know where he went?”

“I already know where Eggman went.” The party looked over at the jewel thief, who sat quietly on the opposite side of the bonfire, studying the fingers on her outstretched hand. “He took the Chaos Emerald back to his fortress. Where else?”

“So that means Eggman has at least _three_ emeralds now.” Knuckles folded his arms, looking down at the smoldering fire.

“And _more importantly_ ,” Amy added, giving the red echidna a stern glare, “Eggman took Cream! We _need_ to do something.”

“Ames is right.” Sonic stood up, clenching his fists as he turned to face Rouge. “Can you lead us to Eggman’s lair?”

“Why certainly.” She gave the blue hedgehog a smile as she crossed her legs. “As long as I can come with.”

“The more the merrier!” Sonic replied as he turned to Tails. “How ‘bout we go save Cream with the Tornado 2?”

“You bet!” Tails tried to hide his excitement. He knew that he’d be engaging in an important mission to save his friend, but he simply couldn’t lie to himself; he _really_ wanted to save the day with his older bro.

He _needed_ this. 

“Well? What’re we waitin’ for?” Sonic turned to face the path leading back to the biplane. “Let’s go!”

“Right!” Just as the brotherly duo were about to dash off, however, the gang heard something up above, the sound of high-pitched laughter getting closer.

“What’s that?” Amy asked, squinting up at a small, dark figure slowly making its way toward the camp.

“It’s Bokkun!” Sonic looked up at the tiny robot, his beady, lime green eyes and M-shaped yellow belt buckle glistening in the afternoon sun as he descended to the camp, a cubical television in his arms. After he landed, Bokkun placed the television on the ground and stood next to it.

“All right everyone! Watch clo—” The messenger robot stopped as he took a whiff of the air. “Is that…is that oatmeal?”

“Ummm…yes it is?” Tails replied, a confused look on his face. “Why?”

“It’s just that…” Moisture began to fill Bokkun’s small eyes. “…Eggman doesn’t feed me very well, and his cooking is _disgusting_. I’d _die_ for some good, sweet, delectable oatmeal.” The tiny robot approached Tails’ bowl of half-eaten breakfast, picking it up as he grabbed the metal spoon from within.

“Ummm, sure…help yourself.” Tails and the gang watched as the sad robotic henchman put the utensil in his mouth. He stopped mid-bite, the flavor almost causing him to glitch out as he opened his beady eyes as wide as they would go.

“This…this…” A smile appeared on his face, tears gushing from his eyes. “This is the greatest thing I’ve ever had in my life!” He began eating faster, matching Sonic’s speed as he wolfed down much of Tails’ leftovers.

“Oh no you don’t!” Amy grabbed the bowl away from Bokkun, the small robot reaching his arms out in a feeble attempt to snag it back. “First you’re gonna tell us what an Eggman robot like yourself is doing here, then _maybe_ we’ll let you have some more.”

Bokkun wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.

“…Promise?”

Amy sighed heavily as she looked down at the pathetic robot peering up at her with shimmering eyes, his hands clasped together as if begging for more nourishment.

“…Promise.”

“All right!” Experiencing a sudden mood shift, Bokkun flung himself backward with his jetpack, landing in front of the yellow CRTV as he prepared to give his pre-rehearsed introduction. “Listen up, folks! I’ve got a special message from Eggman you won’t wanna miss!” Stepping to the side of the television, Bokkun pressed a button near the corner of its curved screen.

The party watched in horror as an image of Cream and Cheese flickered across the monitor, the two clasping the rusty bars of their birdcage-like prison. Bokkun turned his face away, a slight blush appearing on his face.

“Sonic…Tails…anyone…please help us.”

“Chao, chao…”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 10! I have a few updates and announcements below:**

**I slightly altered the ending of chapter 9 to make the amount of time Vanilla spent lamenting in the backyard over Cream’s kidnapping more ambiguous. This was to fill the inadvertent plot hole I _almost_ created where Bokkun arrives to Angel Island shortly after the kidnapping. #CrisisAverted**

**Also, if you have the time, I’d appreciate it if you checked out the poll I posted on my[Fan Fiction account](https://www.fanfiction.net/~andtails); I’ve been tossing around a follow-up to “A Prelude to Chaos Control” since I began writing this story which would inevitably be a reimagining of the events of Sonic X, except with an emphasis on Tails, taking away money as a superpower, swapping around some human protagonists, and making a bunch of other changes which would divert enough from the anime to make it interesting. If this is something you’d be interested in reading, or if the idea seems lame, feel free to take the poll! I’d like to hear your opinions, as this’ll help guide my projects as I get closer to finishing this one. **

**With those notes out of the way: chapter 11 will be uploaded within the next two weeks. In the meantime, feel free to share any and all thoughts, feedback, or critiques!**


	11. Dreams Come True

**Anonymous User Review Response (on[FanFiction.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13596115/1/A-Prelude-to-Chaos-Control)): **

**Guest:** _I agree the original anime was lacking in the Sonic and Tails brotherly department, and with a reimagining, I would “step it up”, so to speak, and place a substantial emphasis on their brotherly relationship, especially under the backdrop of an entirely new world. No humans will stand in the way of their precious bonding time! ;D_

_In speaking of which, updates on the[profile poll](https://www.fanfiction.net/~andtails) I created a few weeks ago are at the end of the chapter! _

* * *

**Chapter 11: Dreams Come True**

“Sonic…Tails…anyone…please help us.” Cream let go of the rusted bars of her cage and covered her face with her hands, tears dripping through her fingers as her knees collapsed to the cold, metallic floor below.

“Chao, chao…” Cheese was crying as well, his stubby hands covering his eyes as tears soaked his red bowtie.

“That monster…” Tails walked toward the yellow television in the grass, dropping to one knee to get a better view of the imprisoned bunny and her pet chao through the flickering display. His eyes began to moisten.

_…Am I to blame? If I hadn’t lost the emeralds, Eggman wouldn’t have kidnapped her._

“No…” The orange kitsune shook his head, trying to get these intrusive thoughts out of his subconscious before tilting his head toward the grass below, closing his eyes. 

Eggman _is to blame. Not me or anyone else._

Tails sighed to himself before turning his gaze to his friends. Amy was about to pounce.

“All right, you robot!” The pink hedgehog grabbed Bokkun by his yellow M-shaped belt buckle, raising him so he could meet her angry gaze. “What’s Eggman planning to do with Cream, huh?”

“Wait, wait, wait, I didn’t do anything! Promise!” The small robot began to sweat profusely as he threw his arms and legs around. “Help me! Get this crazy girl away from me!”

“ _What_ did you call me?” Flames grew in Amy’s pupils as she grabbed hold of either side of his waist and shook him back and forth.

“Aaaaaaah!” Bokkun’s head bobbled as he screamed for mercy.

“Amy…” Sonic placed an arm on the pink hedgehog’s shoulder. She stopped and looked at his gloved hand, his head gently shaking as if to tell her that no amount of torment she could inflict on the henchman would do any good for Cream and Cheese.

“Hmph…fine.” She dropped Bokkun before dusting her hands off. The messenger robot landed on the grass below, swirls appearing over his beady eyes as his dizzy head spun around.

“Ehem!”

The party’s eyes returned to the television which now displayed the slightly fuzzy image of Dr. Eggman straightening his jacket and inspecting his long orange mustache with a handheld mirror. Throwing the mirror to the side, the doctor cleared his throat once more and turned his face to the camcorder.

“Greetings, my favorite adversaries!” His evil smile grew as he turned to the side, allowing the party to see Cream and Cheese once more. “As I’m sure even you lot have figured out, your little bunny friend is now under _my_ care.”

“Ooooo, that Eggman…” Amy pulled her Piko Piko hammer from her hammerspace, gripping its handle with both hands as she slowly walked to the television.

“Wait!” Tails obstructed her path, stretching his arms in either direction. “Let’s hear what he has to say first.” The young kitsune turned around to listen as the evil doctor continue his speech. The pink hedgehog watched over his shoulder.

“I will give you the satisfaction of knowing just how much trouble this _innocent_ -looking rabbit put me through.” He raised a clenched fist for the audience to see. “She destroyed several of my prized babies, annihilating my Egg Pawns as if they were nothing! Even her mother tagged in for a bit, but alas,” Robotnik swept his arm in the direction of his prisoners, “their efforts were in vain, and not only do I have Cream and her _annoying_ blue pest in my custody, but,” he reached a gloved hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out a gray gem from within, “I acquired another Chaos Emerald as well. Wooahhooohoohooo!” The doctor’s laughter bellowed out of the weak speakers of the television, distorted audio echoing into the audience’s ears.

“By my calculations,” Eggman continued, raising his fingers to the camera, “I now have three in my collection, and you have one, so three more are still out there, waiting to be found.” The doctor turned to face his robot henchmen watching from the side. “Decoe! Bocoe! Wheel Cream closer, will ya?”

“Aye aye!” the two said in unison as they entered the shot in order to position the captives directly next to the evil madman.

“Bokkun! Get a good shot of this and be _sure_ to edit this out!”

“Y…yes sir,” the messenger robot said in a weak, half-hearted voice, tilting the camcorder downward to get a better shot of Cream, who shielded her eyes from the studio lights with her hands while the chao cried against her orange dress.

“All right Bokkun, be sure to cut right…here!” The doctor’s demeanor changed as he addressed the audience once more, now completely out of the camera eye. “If you’d like to free your _precious_ little friend here, you must trade me _all_ of the remaining Chaos Emeralds, including those still missing.” He laughed once more as the little bunny removed her hands from her face and pressed them against her ear flaps, rolling into a fetal position in the center of her cage. Cheese rubbed his master’s arm with a stubby hand, but it seemed to have no effect. Nevertheless, he persisted as the evil doctor continued laughing maniacally.

“Okay Bokkun, now turn the camera back to me.” He did as instructed, zooming out from the trapped rabbit and spinning the camcorder in Robotnik’s direction. “Now cut back in riiiiiiight, now.”

Putting on another menacing smile while stroking his orange mustache, he continued his rehearsed ransom speech. “But you know what? I’m feeling a bit generous. I’ll give you five…no…seven days to collect the remaining gems.” He raised seven fingers toward his face for the viewers to see. “If you don’t bring me the Chaos Emeralds by then, I will hold Cream indefinitely. Maybe I’ll even put her to work with the janitorial night crew. Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“Eggman is gonna pay…” Sonic balled his hands as his arms began to shake, gritting his teeth.

“Well, I’m off to bask in my victory. Hope the news wasn’t too... _explosive_.” Eggman snickered as his image disappeared from the television, replaced with a large red number 5, slowly counting downward, accompanied by high-pitched beeps.

“Everyone, dive for cover!” Tails yelled, waving his arms away from the TV. The gang scattered, running as far away as possible with what little time they had. As Tails was the closest, he didn’t have time to duck behind something, so he dove forward, covering his head with his hands as he clenched his teeth and closed his eyes.

BOOM!

A small explosion erupted from within the CRTV, bits of components shooting in all directions as the charred remains produced smoke which slowly dissipated into the sky above.

“Everyone okay?” Sonic asked, stepping out from behind a stack of logs. Attached to him was Amy, whose first instinct in this situation was to dive toward her blue boyfriend and continue holding on well after the danger passed.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Tails twisted his head, inspecting as much of his back as he could. He couldn’t see or feel any shrapnel, so he rolled over, thoroughly inspecting his arms, legs, and torso. The only thing out of place were the grass stains covering his knees and belly.

Pulling himself up, he watched as Knuckles emerged from behind a makeshift log seat. Rouge, who took to the skies as her flee tactic, returned to the ground below. All of them gathered near the charred grass, none appearing worse for wear.

“Are you kidding me?” Knuckles shook his tightened fists. “It’ll take me _hours_ to clean up this mess!”

“Really?” Amy asked, turning in the red echidna’s direction. “Are you _really_ only concerned about your yard at a time like this?

“I’ll have you know this is _sacred_ ground…” Knuckles looked embarrassed, glancing toward his other friends for support. Receiving only stone-faced stares complete with furrowed brows and disappointed frowns, he turned to Amy as he shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, I guess it _is_ trivial, all things considered.” He grimaced as he turned his attention back to the television wreckage before them, a scowl on his face.

“What do we do now?” Amy asked, turning back to the full party.

Looking up into the sky, Sonic clenched his fists once more.

“We’ve gotta save Cream and Cheese! We _know_ where Eggman’s hiding out, so we could just rush on in and save ‘em.” Sonic’s gaze turned back to Amy and Knuckles as Tails stood to his side. “Pretty simple, huh? We can have Cream back to her mom before dinnertime.”

“I agree,” Knuckles replied, raising a determined fist. “What’s a few Badniks guarding his fortress gonna do to stop us?”

“You said it, Knux.” Sonic raised a clenched hand to the red echidna for a fist bump, which he enthusiastically returned.

“I wish it were that simple,” Tails interjected, watching as the party’s gaze turned to him. “Remember Rouge’s story? She is _the_ expert on infiltration, and not only was she caught, she almost died escaping his fortress.”

“He’s right, as much as I hate to admit it.” Rouge shrugged her shoulders. “Eggman’s base is armed to the teeth with Egg Pawns and large mechs.”

“And that was _before_ Rouge’s narrow escape,” Tails added, rubbing a gloved finger against his chin. “We have to assume Eggman is beefing up his defenses, or even using his new Chaos Emerald to add an extra layer of security.”

“Well? We can’t just do _nothing_!” Knuckles exclaimed, crushing a component from the destroyed television under his worn shoe.

“What if Eggman has us cornered this time?” The group looked at Amy, who was leaning against her Piko Piko Hammer, her face downcast as her eyes stared at the grass below, drained of their previous fire. “Cream and Cheese are our number one priority, so maybe we could just hand over the emeralds and deal with the fallout later?”

“What!” Knuckles’ face turned red as anger built up inside him. “Are you suggesting we simply _give him_ the Chaos Emeralds? Think of the destruction he’d cause!”

“Knuckles is right.” Tails walked over to the pink hedgehog as a small tear fell from her eye. He placed a gloved hand on her shoulder as a warm, reassuring smile appeared on his face. “But we can think of something…right Sonic?” The orange fox turned to face his older brother, whose arms were folded and eyes closed.

“Well, we always do, so why is this any different?” Sonic cracked a smile as he delivered his signature thumbs up, which Tails returned in kind. Knuckles’ anger ebbed while Amy’s lips formed a small smile of her own, allowing her hammer to fall to the ground as she dried her tears with her index finger.

“Hey, do you guys hear that?” Knuckles turned back to the smoldering bonfire, the pot of water no longer boiling. They watched as Bokkun frantically consumed multiple, half-eaten bowls of oatmeal scattered around the bonfire. Transfixed at his ferocious speed, the party simply watched.

“Boy, he _really_ must be malnourished, huh?” Sonic asked, turning to his young brother.

“I guess,” Tails replied, “but why would Eggman develop a robot dependent on organic matter to sustain itself?”

“Beats me.” Sonic shrugged his shoulders as he closed his eyes.

Amy wasn’t interested in such banter, however; she approached the messenger robot, who had since sat against the base of a log chair, stretching his legs out against the grass while resting his hands against his protruding belly.

“And just _what_ do you think you’re doing?” She peered down at Bokkun with a long frown.

“What?” Bokkun gave the pink hedgehog a confused look while tilting his head. “I delivered my message, so I had oatmeal. Wasn’t that the deal?”

Amy sighed.

“Well, at least he took care of the leftovers.” She grimaced as Bokkun let out a long belch, a satisfied grin appearing on his face as he rubbed his belly once more. 

As everyone else laughed at Bokkun’s lack of manners, Tails raced through several different strategies for infiltrating Eggman’s base as his eyes explored the grass below his feet.

 _Hmmm...well, a direct assault would be too impractical_ and _dangerous. We could try sneaking in, but this poses its own risks, especially as a group, and we don’t know_ what _traps Eggman may be hiding._

A lightbulb went off in his head, and his eyes lit up as he raised a finger upward.

“Hey guys! I think I have an idea.”

“You do? That’s great!” Sonic gave his young brother a warm smile. “So, let’s hear it!”

“Well,” Tails began, “what if we bring all the emeralds to the fortress, get Cream back, and escape with the emeralds before he can get his hands on them?”

“Sounds complicated,” Knuckles replied, folding his arms together as he closed his eyes in thought, “not to mention risky. We’d have all seven emeralds within arms reach of Eggman and his energy doohickey.”

“I didn’t say it wouldn’t be risky,” Tails continued, gesturing with one hand, “but I could probably disable some of Eggman’s traps and mechs from the outside before we even enter the compound. This would at least keep Cream and Cheese safe.”

“I like the way you think, little guy!” Sonic said, ruffling the orange kitsune’s hair.

“Heh, it was nothin’.” Tails waved a hand outward, a small blush appearing over his muzzle.

“There is just one small problem with this plan,” Knuckles said as the brothers turned to face him. “We only have _one_ emerald, and we need three more for Eggman to let us in.”

“True…” Sonic placed a finger against his chin.

“Well, let’s worry about that later.” Tails faced his older brother. “In the meantime, why don’t you fly Amy over to Vanilla’s? I’m sure she could use the emotional support.”

“Right on!” Sonic gave the young fox a thumbs up before turning to the pink hedgehog. “What d’ya say we mosey on out of here?”

“Right.” Amy jumped toward the blue hedgehog, who was ready to catch her in his arms before speeding off toward the Tornado 2.

“Hey Sonic,” Tails yelled, causing his older brother to screech to a halt. “Don’t forget these.” Tails withdrew his keys from his utility belt and threw them toward the blue hedgehog. Amy caught them in her hands before the two took off once more.

“And Rouge,” Tails continued, watching as she inspected her gloved fingers with her legs folded, sitting on a makeshift log chair. “Can we trust you to join us?”

“Me?” she coyly asked, pointing at herself with both hands. “Well, I _usually_ don’t like taking orders, but I’ll make an exception for you, fox boy.” Winking to the lightly-blushing orange kitsune, Rouge stood up from her chair, wiping small bits of bark from her latex pants. “Just keep me posted.” She pointed to the watch she wore on her wrist, different from the ones Tails made for his immediate friends but still communicable with his signature model.

“Of course!” Tails gave the bat a warm smile as she walked toward the edge of the floating island, looking into the azure waters below.

“Be seeing you later. _This_ girl needs a spa treatment.” Giving a two-fingered wave from behind her head, the jewel thief jumped off the edge, allowing herself to fall several yards before gliding upward and steadying her flight, making her way back to the mainland in the distance. 

“What will you be doing, Knuckles?” Tails asked, his attention now set on the red echidna standing nearby.

“For now? Cleaning…lots of cleaning.” He walked back to the bomb remnants several yards from the bonfire, shaking his head. “Eggman will rue the day he decided to sully _my_ island…” The red echidna’s grumbles trailed off as he made his way back to his cabin to fetch a garbage bag.

“And now that just leaves me.” Tails stood at the edge of the island, gazing into the blue skyscape, the afternoon sun reflecting over the ocean waters below.

“What can I do to be useful?” Standing in thought for a few moments, he turned his head back to view the Master Emerald shrine in the distance.

“…Open your heart, huh?” He nodded to himself, a sense of resolve forming in his eyes. “Well, guess it can’t hurt.” He slowly made his way through the well-kept grass as he grew closer to the Master Emerald.

Only the sound of rustling wind and ocean waves could be heard at the abandoned campfire, save for the rhythmic snoring of a certain messenger robot, whose catnap ended abruptly as his snot bubble popped. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around to find the site deserted. Bokkun lifted himself up and flew around the perimeter of the bonfire with his jetpack before setting his feet back down in the grass.

“They left me all alone? Why would they do that? I thought we were friends…” Tears began to form in his beady eyes as he sat back down, his downcast face looking into the smoke coming from the extinguished fire in front of him.

“Cream…I hope you’ll be okay…”

“Cream?” came a voice from behind. Knuckles returned from the cabin, a garbage bag in tow. “Why are you concerned about her? I thought you were on Eggman’s side.” The messenger robot quickly jumped backward.

“No, no, no…this isn’t what it looks like!” He waved his hands forward, making himself look all the more guilty.

“What? Are you defecting or something?” Knuckles eyed the robot suspiciously, wind blowing into the opening of the garbage bag, inflating it as it flew like a flag in the red echidna’s hand.

“No! I would _never_ betray Dr. Eggman!” Bokkun shook his head, sweat starting to form along his brow.

“…You robots don’t make any sense.” Knuckles scoffed as he turned to the charred grass. “If you’re not gonna help clean your mess, I suggest you leave immediately.”

“…Right.” Bokkun took flight, making his way upward before flying across the shrine.

The fox looked up as he saw the dark speck above leave the island before sitting down in front of the Master Emerald, cross-legged with his back up straight. He allowed his namesakes to flutter as he studied the mystical gem glistening in the afternoon sun while racking his brain.

Blinking a few times, the orange kitsune rubbed his temple with his gloved fingers.

“Think Tails, think…” After a few more minutes of deep thought, he came up with an idea. “Well…it’s certainly better than nothing.”

The young fox got on his knees and bent his back, bowing to the Master Emerald with hands pressed against each other.

“Oh Master Emerald…ummm…hear…my prayer?”

While he knew nobody was watching, Tails felt his body shake in embarrassment, his namesakes resting against the stone surface behind him as his muzzle grew warm.

“I worship thee divine gem…and all of its…ummm…wonderous…ness…and the power that it…bestows…upon us.”

_Yep. Totally losing my mind here._

The fox winced as he looked up at the green emerald, towering over his small figure as he pondered someway to continue his extemporaneous prayer.

“I pledge my…fealty…to you, almighty Master Emerald!”

Tails unclasped his hands and raised his body upwards, slowing swaying his arms toward the sky before allowing them to sway downward. He repeated this several times, as if slowly fanning the mystical gemstone.

“You know that’s not gonna work, right?” The orange kitsune’s hands were upright when he was startled from behind, toppling over backward with arms outstretched. The fox looked up to see Knuckles peering down from above. Tails’ face turned a bright shade of red before managing a few nervous chuckles, his hand rubbing a triangular ear as he cracked a small smile.

“Here.” The red echidna reached his hand down to the fallen fox, who twisted himself around, grabbed hold of his spiked glove, and allowed himself to be pulled back up to his feet.

“Thanks, Knuckles.” Tails brushed bits of gravel from his legs as he fluttered his namesakes.

“At least you get an ‘A’ for effort.” Knuckles cracked a smile. “Come.” The young kitsune watched as the guardian stepped around him, planting his feet in front of the Master Emerald before setting himself down, crossing his legs and holding his back upright. Knuckles patted the stone surface next to him, beckoning the orange fox to join him.

“Oh…okay.” Unsure of Knuckles’ plan, he shrugged his shoulders before taking a seat next to the red echidna.

“When I said to place your _faith_ in the Master Emerald, I didn’t mean to literally pray to it.” Knuckles looked over at the young kitsune, who placed a hand behind his head.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. I probably looked really dumb, huh?”

“Well…just a little.” The red echidna raised a hand forward, forming a small gap between his thumb and the rest of his gloved fingers as if to emphasize his level of dumbness. “Now, I want you to repeat after me.”

“Right.” Tails looked on with determination in his eyes, studying Knuckles as he hoped to emulate him down to a tee.

Knuckles closed his eyes as he drew in a big breath, holding it for several seconds before slowly exhaling. Tails did the same, his face pointing downward as he closed his eyes, filling his lungs with fresh air, keeping his breath held for a few moments before letting a warm flow of air leave his nostrils.

Knuckles repeated this ritual, so Tails did the same. After several rounds of deep breathing, the red echidna looked back at the orange fox.

“How do you feel?”

Tails raised a gloved finger to his chin, looking up at the baby blue sky above.

“Well…I feel fine, actually. No anxiety, no pressure…it’s as if all my worries have been…extinguished.”

“Heh…that’s the idea. Meditative breathing helps ease the soul and calm the mind. You should try it more often.”

“Me specifically, or people in general?”

“…Yes.” The two friends shared a laugh.

“The next step,” Knuckles continued, “is to bare your soul to the Master Emerald.”

“Huh?” Tails looked at him, his head slightly tilted and his brow scrunched.

“Well…” Knuckles rubbed his chin with a gloved hand. “It’s kinda hard to explain. Haven’t really taught anyone before.” The red echidna cleared his throat. “Okay…think of it like this.” His eyes met the young fox’s curious stare. “Imagine you’re in a room with nobody but your closest friend.”

“Right.” Tails closed his eyes once more, placing his hands in his lap as he imaged a blank room with a single couch. He conjured up an image of Sonic sitting alongside him. “Okay, got it. What’s next?”

“Now imagine telling this friend a secret, one so personal you’d only share it with them.”

_Well that should be easy. Sonic knows me like an open book. I can’t keep anything from him…well…I guess everyone has their secrets, right?_

“A deep fear works, too,” Knuckles added. 

Tails wiped his brow, sighing in relief.

_Okay…easier._

In his mind’s eye, he imagined venting to his older brother, lifting the weight of the world from his shoulders and sharing this burden with him. Sonic didn’t mind, however, simply looking back at him as he allowed the young kitsune to unload all his past failures and insecurities, the bullying he experienced prior to meeting Sonic, growing up orphaned, and the complete and utter loneliness he felt for a significant portion of his life. He imagined the blue hedgehog wiping the tears from his puffy eyes before embracing him, providing reassurances which helped him feel better about himself.

“Okay,” Tails said, flicking away a small teardrop with a gloved finger. “What now?” Knuckles looked forward, staring at the glistening gem before them.

“Imagine your friend has been replaced with the Master Emerald.”

“…huh?” It usually took a lot to confuse the prodigious kitsune, but he was dumbfounded beyond all measure.

“I know it sounds silly, but try it. Trust me…and the Master Emerald. Treat it like a friend. Form a bond with it. Only then will it help guide you forward.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try.” Tails sighed once more as he erased Sonic and the imaginative room from his mind, replacing them with the stone shrine he currently occupied. He stepped toward the mystical gem in his head, placing both of his palms against its shimmering surface as he closed his eyes, allowing himself to repeat what he had mentally spoken to Sonic moments before.

Opening his eyes in the real world, the orange fox discovered that he was no longer sitting cross-legged on the stone floor but, rather, standing before the Master Emerald, his hands pressed against its shiny surface as they were in his imagination.

Tails wasn’t startled, though; for reasons unexplained, it felt destined…natural…as if it were meant to be.

“I’m sorry…” Tails closed his eyes once more, a tear rolling down either side of his face. “I know I don’t deserve this…but I…no… _we_ need your help.” The young fox stepped as close as he could to the oversized gemstone, wrapping his arms around it while tears dripped through his muzzle, landing against and trickling down the Master Emerald’s smooth surface.

“We’ve relied on the Chaos Emeralds countless times in our fight against Dr. Eggman, but now he’s on the precipice of winning. Without your help, we won’t have enough time to find them all again.”

“So please…” Tails dropped to his knees as he rested his forehead against the surface of the gem. “…please help us.”

Knuckles watched from several steps away as Tails broke down against the Master Emerald, his shoulders moving up and down with the rhythm of his crying, his arms dangling from his sides as he kept himself propped up with his forehead pressed against the mystical gemstone.

“Tails…are you gonna b—” The red echidna froze as he watched Tails fall over. The young kitsune gripped his forehead with both hands as he groaned in a sudden bout of pain before rolling into a fetal position.

“Tails!” Knuckles rushed over to the orange fox, who instinctively wrapped himself within his namesakes, not responding to the red echidna’s calls. Gently pulling a tail outward, he witnessed as the fox lay on the ground unconscious, his muzzle damp with tears.

Knuckles placed a gloved hand against the fox’s neck. “Good…he still has a pulse.” Collecting himself, he scooped him up into his arms, cradling the orange kitsune like a baby. “Let’s get you inside.” The red echidna slowly made his way down the stairs, not noticing the green glow emanating from the Master Emerald as he walked back to his cabin.

* * *

Tails slowly opened his eyes. He looked down at his body, sprawled along the hard, white surface below him.

“Ah geez, _this_ place again?”

Standing up, the orange kitsune looked around to find nothing. Peering down at his utility belt, he was already one step ahead of his own chaos-induced dream, pulling out the cracked emerald detector and turning it on. When he pressed the button on top of the circular screen, though, nothing happened.

“That’s strange.” He pressed the button again. And again. A few more times. He shook it near his ear to see if a screw was loose before trying once more.

“Nothing.” The young fox sighed to himself as he widened his belt pocket with his free hand. Before he could slip the device back in, however, it crumbled in his hand, components and bits of plastic falling to the floor below.

“Ummm…that was weird.” He scratched the hair on his chin before advancing onward, leaving the debris behind.

“Okay…so with no detector…where am I supposed to go?” As if answering his call, the fox noticed a brown speck in the distance. Walking toward it, he was surprised and a bit amused by what he found.

“Really? I don’t even think they’re trying anymore.” The orange kitsune sat on the reclining chair, pulling the footrest up. A large plastic bowl materialized in his lap as the fragrant smell of mint pierced his nostrils. He reached a gloved hand within and grabbed a small, black Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate chip cookie between his fingers. Shrugging his shoulders, he threw the morsel into his mouth, a satisfying grin forming on his face as his lips were coated in black cookie dust.

“Who’d have thought cookies would taste so good in dreamland?”

Taking a few more bites, the fox looked around as the whiteness gave way to black. Tails was along for the ride, though, and wasn’t particularly afraid, his hand wrist-deep in the seemingly bottomless bowl of morsels at his disposal. Finally, an image appeared before him, like a holographic projection with no apparent source. It displayed flickering black and white dots, as if it were a television void of its analogue signal, before finally showing a discernable video.

A piece of cookie fell from Tails’ mouth as his jaw dropped. He watched as he witnessed himself getting captured by Dr. Eggman’s large mech, its mechanical hand wrapped all around the defenseless kitsune.

“Help me, Sonic!” The orange kitsune on-screen reached his arm upward, grasping at the air with his exposed hand as the rest of his body was held captive by Robotnik’s menacing creation.

“Tails!” Sonic was several yards away, panting with his hands against his knees as he looked up at the machine before him. He clenched his fists as he stepped forward.

“Ah ah ahh!” Eggman bellowed from a speaker on the outside of the mech. He sat comfortably in the mech’s control center located in its head. “One more move and the little fox gets it!”

“Damn you, Eggman…” Sonic said under his breath, his eyes locked on the metallic hand keeping his brother trapped in place.

“Wooahhooohoohooo! It looks like you’re in quite the pickle, Sonic! But I’m willing to make an offer…even with the likes of _you_.” Sonic glared up at the glass oval housing the mad scientist.

“ _Me_ , make a deal with _you_? Fat chance.” Sonic pulled the skin under his eye down with his middle finger while sticking his tongue out at Eggman, blowing a raspberry in the process.

“So _that’s_ the game you want to play, huh? All right then…don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Robotnik snickered as he pulled a lever on his control panel.

“Ahhhhh! S…Sonic, h…help meeeee!” Tails’ screaming was muffled by the mech’s tightening grip.

“Oh no, Tails, buddy. Hold on!” Sonic gritted his teeth with rage as he watched the horror before him.

“Okay, Egghead. Release Tails, and I’ll do what you want.”

“Nah ah ahhh. Do you _really_ think I’m _that_ foolish? I want you to hand over the Chaos Emeralds first. With all seven in-hand, I could care less what happens to your ‘little brother’.”

Sonic grimaced as the evil doctor continued his laughter. Looking back at the metallic claw above, he noticed its grip slowly getting tighter, Tails’ voice no longer audible to the blue hedgehog below.

Present-day Tails felt as if he was about to vomit, tears rolling down his face as he placed a gloved hand against his belly.

 _Why would the Master Emerald show me this? What’s it trying to prove?_

“Ohhh…” The fox gripped the fur on his belly as his eyes remained glued to the holographic projection, too transfixed to look away from this horrible memory.

“Well, Sonic,” Eggman maneuvered the mech’s free hand downward, resting on the ground next to the blue hedgehog as it bent its knees. “What do you say? All seven gems for Tails’ life? Seems like a fair offer if you ask me.”

Sonic stared at the ground as he considered his options. Finally, he looked up at the evil doctor, a sly smile on his face.

“Okay, Egghead. I’ll give ya want you want.”

“No, Sonic! Don’t do it!” The blue hedgehog could hardly hear the pleas of his young brother. For the first and last time in his life, Sonic chose to ignore him, instead reaching for a backpack sitting in the corner of the makeshift battle arena, an abandoned cityscape decimated by the evil mastermind, with a turquoise metal surface below him and an orange, sunsetting sky above. He unzipped the sack and poured its contents out into the palm of the mech’s free hand.

“Haha, glorious! I didn’t think you’d be so reasonable, but I guess even dimwitted rodents such as yourself can show intelligence every now and again.” He snickered at he slowly retracted the hand closer to the head of the mech, hoping to deposit them directly into the central console of the large robot.

“Not so fast, Eggman!” Sonic jumped forward, landing next to the mystical gems as the mechanical hand continued making its way back to Robotnik.

“What? What are you doing!” Eggman yelled, reaching for a lever to jiggle the blue hedgehog off of his creation.

“What am I doin’? Savin’ my little brother, of course!” Sonic breathed deeply as he closed his eyes, planting his feet firmly against the unstable, metallic hand below him as the Chaos Emeralds began to float and spin around him.

“No! I can’t _believe_ this!” Eggman was yanking at either side of his long mustache as he watched Sonic undergo his signature transformation.

Raising his arms forward, and balling his hands into tight fists, Sonic let out a loud shout as the emeralds rapidly spun around him, eventually disappearing from view as the hedgehog’s azure blue coat was overtaken by a glowing shade of yellow. His eyes were red and his quills stood on-end as he glowered at the evil doctor, who still hadn’t managed to stop the mechanical hand from making its ascent closer to him.

“I think it’s time we put this bad boy outta commission.” Sonic smirked as he hurtled through the mech in several directions, slashing through its thick metal as the machine gradually began falling apart. Cutting the wrist which still gripped the young fox, Sonic teleported the metallic hand away from the fight, landing several yards away as the claw’s grip loosened. Tails’ body rolled from its palm and gently landed into Sonic’s arms, the golden hedgehog holding him like a parent caressing their newborn child.

“…S..Sonic…” This was all the young kitsune could say before he closed his eyes, falling out of consciousness. Super Sonic set him down on the ground, wrapping his namesakes around him for good measure before turning around and teleporting back to the fight, slashing the mech a bit more before the central command pod was all that remained.

Eggman’s wits returned as he pressed several buttons on his dashboard. The disguised Egg Mobile previously locked in place within the giant mech lifted itself out of the dilapidated, fiery mess and hovered above the ground. He soared up, attempting to flee the losing battle. 

“Oh, I don’t think so.” Sonic teleported in front of Eggman’s path. “So long, Egg-breath!” The ascended hedgehog flew in for a forceful kick, shooting the Egg Mobile and its inhabitant across the destroyed city.

“Cuuuuurseee thaaaaaat heeeeeedgehoooooog!” Eggman’s yell could barely be heard in the distance as he drew farther away from the heroic hedgehog, his departure solidified by the sight of a lone sparkle in the sky.

Sonic floated back down to the ground and walked toward the sleeping kitsune. Smiling to himself, he fell to one knee as exhaustion claimed him. His golden fur dissipated as his standard blue color returned. The seven Chaos Emeralds reanimate themselves around Sonic’s figure, spinning around rapidly before making their way upward. Holding still for a few seconds, the mystical gems shot across the sky in seven different directions.

Sonic watched the emeralds scatter before falling to his belly and crawling toward the ruined metal hand. Gripping its mechanical fingers with labored breaths, he pulled himself up and pressed his back against its open palm, gently pulling the unconscious fox toward him. Placing his little brother in his lap, Sonic wrapped his arms around Tails’ torso, his hands resting within the namesakes still wrapped around him as he rested his back against the mechanical paw. The blue hedgehog closed his eyes, allowing his weariness to take hold.

The holographic video faded away as the darkness around the orange kitsune gave way to piercing white light once more.

The young kitsune still felt nauseous as he pushed the footrest back into the recliner and walked into the white plains of nothingness.

“Why’d you show me that, huh? What are you trying to prove?” Staggering along for several yards, Tails gripped his belly once more before dropping to his knees, breathing heavily.

 _“Open your heart, Tails…calm yourself…face your fears…and be_ honest _with yourself.”_

“What?” Tails squinted, unable to see the woman behind the familiar feminine voice.

_“Trust your feelings, Tails. Only then will you find what you seek.”_

The fox fell backward, landing on his behind as he used his gloved hands to keep his back upright.

“Well,” Tails started, staring into the empty void before him. “I…yes…I was scared…I felt hopeless…defenseless…and…” a fresh round of tears began to form around the fox’s eyes. “...worthless…”

The fox waited for a reply, but he heard none. Wiping away his tears, he forced himself up, planting his feet to the ground.

“…but not anymore.” Tails raised his fits into the air. “Sonic taught me it’s okay to be scared…okay to be frightened…okay to admit I need help.” He sighed as he looked downward, closing his eyes in deep thought. “…doubt, hopelessness, fear, worry, regret…these are all normal feelings, and it’s okay to experience them. The _real_ test is taking action _despite_ these feelings.” Tightening his balled fists once more, he raised his head to the endless, white chasm above.

“Fear will _no longer_ paralyze me!” Tails screamed as loud as his throat and lungs would allow, his entire body vibrating with the force. “Regret will _no longer_ hinder me! And I will _always_ work hard to save my friends and protect those in need!”

The kitsune fell back down, landing on his behind once more as he gasped for breath, clutching his aching belly with a gloved hand.

_“Tails…”_

The orange fox looked up to see a shadowy silhouette above him, the feminine shape of someone around his height, with dreadlocks behind her head and a blouse covering her waist. She placed her hand on Tails’ head.

_“Please protect the emeralds from the evils that lie before you.”_

Tails felt a sense of pressure growing against his forehead where the shadowy hand still rested.

“What’s going on?” The orange kitsune winced as the pain above his eyes grew exponentially.

“Ahhhhh!” He remembered this unpleasant sensation, the same he felt before entering dreamland. He pressed a gloved hand against his face as the pain rose.

The feminine figure planted a gentle kiss against his forehead, seemingly making the pain go away. Lightly blushing through his furry muzzle, the young fox fell to his side, his weary eyes closing as he slept against the cold, white surface, the silhouette fading into the void.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 11!**

**A quick update on the[poll](https://www.fanfiction.net/~andtails): thank you to those who participated and reached out to share your thoughts! Consider the sequel to _A Prelude to Chaos Control_ officially happenin’! It will still be some time until I finish with the Sonic X prequel, though! In speaking of which, Chapter 12 will be uploaded within the next two weeks, so stay tuned!**

**I’ve also been working on a side fanfic, spurred on by members of the r/milesprower Discord server that I help moderate. A hint: it will be quite fluffy. UwU**

**Click[here](https://discord.gg/vYnKa3R) if you’d like to join the server and hang out with fellow fans and fanfic enthusiasts! :P**


	12. A New Plan Unfolds

Sonic stood in the grass of Vanilla’s destroyed backyard. Bits of metallic shrapnel were strewn around, wooden splinters covered the destroyed deck, and shattered glass coated the entryway leading into the small cottage.

Breathing in a big sigh, Sonic lowered his face and folded his arms.

“I can’t believe Cream did all this.” Looking around once more, the blue hedgehog reached down and picked up a piece of an Egg Pawn’s outer casing. He rotated the piece between his gloved fingers while staring at it intently. Dropping the scrap on the charred grass, he smiled to himself. “Sure did a good job, though. I’m proud of the little girl.”

Looking around, Sonic glanced over at the Tornado 2, which he had landed only moments before.

“Don’t worry, Cream,” Sonic said, balling his fist tightly, “we’ll save you. I _know_ we will.”

Stepping around shrapnel as he made his way across the yard, Sonic hopped over the destroyed stairs and carefully climbed over the Egg Pawn lying in a bed of broken glass near the back entrance. Using the track of the sliding door for balance, the blue hedgehog stepped into the kitchen, which looked just as pristine as Vanilla and Cream had left it that morning.

“There, there, Vanilla.” Amy was sitting next to the motherly rabbit at the table, rubbing her shoulder as Vanilla cried into the palms of her hands. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get Cream home.”

“…I know, dear.” Vanilla wiped her eyes with the side of her arm. “I just…should’ve been able to protect her.”

“You did your best.” Amy provided the elder rabbit with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Looking over at the pink hedgehog, she placed Amy’s hand within her own, cracking a small smile as the tears forming around her eyes began to ebb.

"You're so sweet, Amy. I trust you'll bring my Cream back to me." She chuckled under her breath as she placed her hands on the table. "I _would_ help, but well…" Vanilla rotated her arm while shifting her shoulder. "I'm not as young as I used to be." She rubbed the joint as she rested her back against the rickety kitchen chair.

Sonic cracked a smile as he watched the conversation unfold, leaning against the kitchen wall with arms folded, before approaching the duo.

“When we rescue Cream, I’ll be sure to give her extra lessons.” He gave the elder bunny a thumbs up.

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that, Sonic.” Vanilla gave the blue hedgehog a warm smile as she stood up and approached the stove. A tea kettle was whistling over the burner as the fresh smell of pumpkin pie filled the room. The rabbit moved the kettle to an unheated burner and shut off the oven before removing the piping hot dessert within, carefully lifting the circular dish to a cooling rack on the kitchen counter.

“I hope you can stay for some pie,” Vanilla said, smiling at the two hedgehogs as she removed her oven mitts.

“Of course!” Amy replied. “I only wish my baking was half as good as yours.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Vanilla opened the refrigerator and pulled out a tub of whipped cream. “Once everything is back to normal, Cream and I will teach you all the trade secrets.”

“It’s a deal!” Amy perfectly copied her blue boyfriend’s signature thumbs up with a rosy smile on her face. Vanilla returned her smile as she sliced the pie into eight even pieces, using a spatula to transfer three of them to small plates. The elder bunny poured tea into three teacups and brought the beverages and desserts over to the table.

“Don’t mind if I do!” Sonic grabbed his piece and took a large bite out of it, chewing merrily as the remaining pie rested against the palm of his hand, his gloved fingers gripping its crusty edge.

“Sonic, manners!” Amy gave her boyfriend a cold look. Sonic blankly stared back at the pink hedgehog, frozen in mid-bite as he realized his vital mistake.

“S’ry, Mhhms,” he said with a full mouth while returning the slice to his plate. He grabbed his fork, sliced a small piece from the pie, and pierced it through before taking a slow bite, chewing thoughtfully and with a closed mouth.

“Better.” Amy gave Sonic a warm smile with closed eyes. “Don’t forget about proper teatime etiquette, too.”

“Oh yeah.” Sonic glanced over at the teacup next to his plate. Setting his fork down on his folded napkin, he reached for the outer, circular handle of his cup and picked it up carefully, his hand shaking as the beverage slowly approached his lips.

“Forgetting something, Sonic?” The blue hedgehog studied Amy as his hand froze in place. Thinking to himself, a light bulb went off in his head.

“Ah, almost forgot.” Sonic stuck out his pinkie before taking a measured sip of the tea.

“Perfect,” Amy said enthusiastically, “I give it a solid 8.5 out of ten.”

“An 8.5?” The blue hedgehog asked with faux-offense. “I should at _least_ get a nine for my cup-to-mouth delivery.”

“Nope. Judge’s word is final.” Amy crossed her arms and shook her head with eyes closed and a smirk on her face.

“Wow, tough break.” Sonic shrugged his shoulders as he took another sip.

“How has Tails been, by the way?” Vanilla asked, holding her own cup of tea with an uneaten slice of pie on the plate in front of her.

“He’s been okay,” Sonic replied, setting his cup down on the table. “He’s been pretty down lately with everything going on.” The blue hedgehog provided a brief recap of recent events, explaining how Tails felt responsible for the loss of the Chaos Emeralds and was struggling with feelings of failure due to the nonfunctional emerald detector. “We had a good heart-to-heart last night, though, and he seems to be feeling loads better today.”

“That’s pleasant to hear.” Vanilla gave Sonic a warm smile, which he returned in-kind. “You mean so much to him. I’m glad he has good taste in role-models.”

“Ah shucks.” Sonic waved his hand forward before rubbing his fingers through his quills.

“I mean it, though,” Vanilla continued, looking into the blue hedgehog’s eyes, “I remember it like it was yesterday. Tails wasn’t doing very well when you took him on as your sidekick, but since then, you’ve really helped him develop his self-confidence.”

“Well I can’t take all the credit, Vanilla.” Sonic looked over at the pink hedgehog sitting next to him. “Amy ‘n everyone else have been good mentors too, and deep down…he _truly_ is strong and independent.” The blue hedgehog turned his gaze to the setting mid-afternoon sun through the shattered glass door. “When Tails puts his mind to something, he tries relentlessly to see it through. I admire that in him, but sometimes he takes it too far.” He sighed gently as his focus returned to the two ladies at the kitchen table. “Even the greatest heroes have setbacks. Heck, not even _I’m_ perfect.” Adding emphasis for comedic effect, the blue hedgehog took another sip of his tea. “Tails devised a plan for getting Cream back, and we’ll all be there to see it through together. He won’t be alone for this mission, or any others. I’ll _always_ be by his side.” Setting his teacup down, the blue hedgehog rested his arms on the table as he shifted his gaze to the half-eaten pie in front of him before closing his eyes in reflection.

“Awww, that’s _so_ sweet.” Amy began to tear up as she stared longingly at the blue hedgehog. “I guess _this_ is why I’m always falling for you.” She clasped onto Sonic’s hands, raising them gently from the table below. “You’re one of the sweetest people I know.”

“Ah, well…” Sonic looked away as a slight shade of red appeared over his muzzle, itching his quills with a gloved hand. “…it was nothin’ re—” He was interrupted by a ring from his wristwatch communicator. He pressed a button on the device to reveal a projection of Knuckles.

“Hey there Knucklehead, why the long face?”

“No time for small talk.” The red echidna angled his wrist so that the blue hedgehog could get a good view of Tails tossing and turning in bed with the sheets pushed toward the end. A moist cloth was draped over his forehead.

“Tails? What’s wrong, buddy?” Sonic’s easygoing smile was replaced by a look of worry, his brow furrowed as he studied his younger brother lying in bed.

“He’s having a nightmare,” Knuckled replied, outside the view of the feed. “We were meditating with the Master Emerald when he collapsed.” The red echidna paused for a few moments. “I suggest coming back ASAP.”

“Right, I’ll be back in a flash.” Sonic disconnected the call. “Sorry to bail, but Tails needs me.” The blue hedgehog was about to jump out through the decimated doorway when a gentle hand tapped his shoulder. Looking back, Sonic saw Vanilla with a small plastic container full of pumpkin pie and a side of whipped cream.

“Give this to Tails when he’s feeling better, okay?” Vanilla smiled.

“Will do. Thanks!” Grabbing the treat from the elder bunny, Sonic gave the ladies a thumbs up before dashing out of the cottage, effortlessly jumping around the shrapnel covering the porch and backyard before leaping over the brick hedge. Clicking the unlock button on Tails’ key fob, the blue hedgehog jumped into the biplane’s cockpit just as the glass cover retracted. Leaving his seatbelt unbuckled, he initiated the start-up sequence and turned on the engine. With the plane roaring to life, the blue hedgehog steadily turned the Tornado 2 around. Having parked in a small grass clearing between the cottage and a set of hills, he didn’t have much room to work worth.

“Steady now…” Sonic turned the aircraft 180 degrees before advancing forward down the dirt trail. The blue hedgehog pulled the yoke toward himself as the gap between the house and the neighboring forest began to narrow, nicking the tip of a tree as he ascended.

“Tails isn’t gonna be happy about that.” As he steadied the aircraft, Sonic’s mind began to wonder toward thoughts of his younger brother.

“Tails…what happened, little guy? You were doin’ so good, too.” The blue hedgehog sighed to himself. “Did ya work yourself up again? Or maybe it was the Master Emerald?”

“Either way,” he continued, a look of determination in his eyes, “I’m coming back for ya.” Sonic increased the aircraft’s speed as the GPS beeped, showing the distance between his current location and Angel Island.

“Just hold on tight, pal.”

* * *

Knuckles sat on a wooden chair alongside the bed. His eyes were closed and his arms folded, deep in thought.

“Man, I’m lousy at this.” The red echidna looked over at the young kitsune, who had since stopped rolling around in bed and now rested against a fluffed pillow. The fox gritted his teeth and breathed heavily in his sleep as if he were in pain.

“Let’s see…” Knuckles pulled the damp cloth from Tails’ forehead, leaving the bedroom and returning moments later with a fresh towel. Feeling his face with a gloved hand, he gave a sigh of relief. “Well, at least his temperature is going down.” He placed the new cloth along his forehead and used a separate dry one to pat away the sweat forming along his facial fur.

“At this rate, maybe I should start charging.” Knuckles chuckled as he recalled tending to the medical needs of Rouge the Bat in the same bed, which seemed like years ago at this point. “Charging for healthcare, though? Who’d do that?” His thoughts were interrupted as Tails began to groan in his sleep.

“Ummm…” Unsure how to help Tails feel better beyond basic necessities, the red echidna awkwardly brushed his gloved hand through the orange fox’s hair. His triangular ears twitched, and his groans subsided. “Maybe I should’ve gone into medicine?” Knuckles mused as he sat back down in his chair and continued his vigil.

* * *

Sonic leapt out of the Tornado 2 shortly after bringing it to a complete stop on Angel Island’s grassy natural runway.

“Man, I’m glad to finally be outta this thing.” While he’d always been decent at flying, even before meeting his adoptive younger brother, he’d viewed it as a necessary evil rather than one of pleasure or convenience; after all, not even the “fastest thing alive” could run across an entire ocean.

Riding on the _wing_ of the plane, though? _Perfection_.

Sonic sighed as the memories of air whooshing through his quills at high speeds escaped his mind, replaced with the ever-growing concern for his younger brother’s safety. Sonic locked the cockpit before turning in the direction of Knuckles’ cabin, speeding off in a blue blur.

 _Ah,_ much _better._

He enjoyed the run as best he could, all things considered; the endorphins coursing through his veins served as a good break from being cooped-up in the biplane, even though Tails designed the cockpit to be as spacious as possible.

_Tails…_

Sonic furrowed his brow and a look of determination crossed his face once more as he raced through the tall grass, jumping over natural obstacles before diving through the brush which separated the forest from the Master Emerald clearing. Looking into the distance, the blue hedgehog noted the faint smell of the long-since extinguished bonfire still lingering in the air and the mid-afternoon sun slowly beginning to set, the light glistening over the ocean waters well within view of Knuckles’ well-kept clearing.

Dashing through the cabin’s front door, Sonic skidded to a stop as he slid across the bedroom floor, his body coming to rest at Tails’ bedside.

“A dramatic entrance, as always,” Knuckles scoffed from the chair against the wall.

“Glad to see you too, Knucklehead.” Sonic turned around to face the red echidna. “How’s he doin’?”

“Better, thankfully.” Knuckles watched as the blue hedgehog got down to his knees and lightly caressed the orange kitsune’s hair, being careful not to knock the wet towel out of place.

“I’ll take it from here.” Sonic gave Knuckles a thumbs up.

“Well, I best be headed back to the Master Emerald.” Knuckles turned to face the door, glancing over his shoulder before leaving. “Remember what we discussed earlier. About Tails.”

“…right.” Sonic frowned as the red echidna left the cabin. Placing both elbows against the side of the bed, Sonic rested his head against the palm of his hands as he watched his little brother sleep.

 _I’m not givin’ up on you. Not now. Not ever. Knuckles may think you’ve reached your limit, but I_ know _you’re up for the challenges ahead. And I’ll support you every step of the way._

As time passed, the blue hedgehog allowed his arms to fall to the bed, his head resting against them as he slowly closed his eyes.

_Sleep tight, little buddy._

* * *

Tails felt something heavy against his forehead as he slowly regained consciousness. It took his eyes a few moments to adjust to the late afternoon sun pouring into the cabin. Tilting his head slightly, he first noticed the open window, which allowed a light breeze to fill the bedroom and carried with it the fresh scent of the grass beyond.

Inhaling, the orange fox reached a gloved hand to his forehead. The moist cloth slid down his face and covered his eyes and nose. Tossing it to the side, he used his dry hand to pat away the water along his furry muzzle before looking to his left. Tails smiled as he watched his older brother sleep against the side of the bed, his face buried in his arms, his knees resting on the wooden floor below.

The young kitsune delicately pulled the bedsheet from his body and stepped off the opposite side of the bed before tiptoeing over to Sonic’s side. Kneeling next to the blue hedgehog, Tails gently nudged his shoulder.

“Hey Sonic,” he said in a whispered voice. Sonic was still fast asleep, undisturbed by Tails’ efforts. “Sonic?” Tails tried again, this time raising his voice slightly. “You wanna get up?”

_Nothing._

Raising a finger to his furry chin, an idea occurred to the young fox. Tails crawled on his knees behind the blue hedgehog. Chuckling under his breath, he licked his index fingers and raised them to Sonic’s triangular ears. Holding his breath, trying as hard as he could not to laugh, he stuck his moistened fingers inside and wiggled them around.

Remaining still for several seconds, the orange kitsune pulled his fingers out to find the blue hedgehog still sleeping.

_Are you kidding me?_

The young fox wiped his earwax-stained fingers against his hips as he racked his brain for a different strategy.

_This is my last-ditch effort._

Lowering his arms to the floor, he crawled over to Sonic’s right ear and spoke gently into it.

“Hey Sonic, your chili dogs are ready.”

“Whu…whuut?” The blue hedgehog slowly opened his eyes and tilted his head up, yawning as he stretched his arms. Eyeing the pillows near the headboard, Sonic whipped his head to either side. “Tails? Where are ya, buddy?”

“Right behind you, Sonic.” The blue hedgehog spun on the slippery wood floor to discover the orange kitsune, who was on his knees at eye level.

“Ah, there you are!” Sonic allowed himself to fall backward against the side of the bed as he breathed a sigh of relief and stretched his sore legs out against the ground. “How are ya feelin’, bro?”

“Fine, I think.” Tails joined Sonic on the floor, resting against the side of the bed as he looked up at his older brother next to him. “I sorta passed out again.” He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Nothing to be ashamed of, little buddy.” Sonic winked at the orange kitsune. “I have some pie here for ya, courtesy of Vanilla herself.” The blue hedgehog pulled the plastic container from his side and handed it to his younger brother.

“Oh, wow! It feels like forever since I’ve had her baking!” Tails opened the lid, revealing a perfectly sliced, brownish-orange piece of pumpkin pie with a generous dollop of whipped cream along the side. Looking around, the young kitsune couldn’t find a fork. 

“When you’re not ‘round the girls, ya can eat with your hands.” Sonic raised his hands and comedically wiggled his fingers. The two laughed before the orange fox grabbed the pie as one would a slice of pizza, dipped it into the cream, and took a large bite with a smile on his face. Sonic cleared his throat as the hungry fox continued eating, orange crumbs falling from his muzzle to his lap.

“You seem better now, but ya know…” Sonic paused, itching his blue quills as he looked away. “…I’m concerned about you, buddy.”

“Don’t be, Sonic.” Tails patted the blue hedgehog’s shoulder. “I’m totally fine.”

“You are now…” Sonic folded his arms as he watched his younger brother intently. “What happened, by the way? Did you overexert yourself? Sounds like you were meditatin’ or somethin’?”

“Let’s see what I remember...” Tails rubbed his forehead with both hands as he collected his thoughts. “I remember collapsing next to the Master Emerald and having another dream.”

“Again?” Sonic’s eyed the young fox in wonder. “What happened this time?”

“Well…” Tails was about to summarize his dream when he remembered the most crucial part. His face froze as he stared at his bent legs.

“Hey, you all right there?” Sonic looked at the young fox with concern on his face.

“All right?” Tails asked, turning to face Sonic once more, a bright smile on his face as he dropped the pie into the plastic container between his legs. “I’m more than all right, Sonic! Quick…” Tails jumped up and extended his hand to his older brother.

“What’s with the excitement all the sudden?” Sonic grabbed hold of the fox’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled up.

“Where’re the detector components? From the one I broke yesterday?” Tails’ face was full of eager wonderment, his arms bent as he clenched his fists, totally oblivious to Sonic’s own question.

“Ummm…” Sonic ran a hand through his quills. “I think they’re in a box in the dining room, but what do…”

“Thanks, Sonic!” Tails waved as he ran out of the bedroom, not waiting for the blue hedgehog to follow.

“Well,” Sonic said to himself as he shrugged, “that was weird.” As he turned to the bedroom door, hoping to see what his younger brother was up to, the blue hedgehog froze. “What’s that weird feelin’ in my ears?” He reached an index finger into his left-most ear, followed by the other, drying off the moisture within his canals. He observed his gloved finger, rubbing them together while staring intently at his hands. “Huh, strange…” His thoughts were cut off by the sound of a rustling box in the kitchen. Shrugging his shoulders before wiping his fingers against his side, he stepped out of the bedroom to join the young fox.

Sonic was amazed to find all the parts sprawled across the circular wooden table in the corner of the kitchen. The orange kitsune was affixing components to one another with his multitool, his tongue sticking out from the side of his mouth as he worked.

“Whatcha doin’, Tails?” Sonic stood next to him with hands against his hips.

“You see,” he replied, placing a combination of components into the cracked plastic casing, “I can’t explain it, but I was deemed _worthy_.”

“Worthy?” Sonic folded his arms, looking down at the busy fox. “Worthy of what?”

“Well, maybe ‘worthy’ isn’t the best way to describe it.” Tails smiled up at his older brother as he continued piecing together small bits along the table. “The knowledge for fixing this up just kinda came to me after I woke up. Maybe the Master Emerald helped me work through some mental blocks?”

“Whatever it was, this is great news! Anything I can do to help?” Sonic stepped closer to the orange kitsune’s seat.

“Well…” Tails looked around the kitchen. “You don’t suppose Knuckles keeps a soldering iron around?”

“Heh, probably not.” The two chuckled merrily together.

“Not a problem,” Tails raised a finger to the air. “I can just make one myself! I just need a pen, a thin piece of metal, some wire, and tape.”

“Got it.” Sonic dashed around the cabin, rummaging through each nook and cranny to find the items Tails required. Returning a few moments later, Sonic dropped each of the supplies on the table.

“Wow, thanks Sonic!” The young kitsune gave his older brother a warm smile, which he returned in kind.

“No sweat!” He gave him a thumbs up before sitting down next to the prodigious fox, who proceeded to unscrew the lid of the pen and dump out the ink tube and spring onto the table. He placed the thin piece of metal in the pen, allowing it to stick out beyond the pen’s opening before taping it against the side of its cylindrical interior. Unscrewing the opposite end of the pen, the fox carefully knotted the wire together against the small metal rod and connected the other end to his wristwatch communicator.

“Here goes nothing.” Tails clicked a button on his watch. Moments later, a small trail of smoke came from the metal’s tip as it began to turn a bright shade of red. “Great! Never had to do this before. Glad it worked on my first try!”

“Was anyone _really_ doubtin’ ya?” Sonic placed his arms along the table as he smiled at his younger brother. Returning his smile, the fox continued his work, using the makeshift soldering iron to permanently attach several more components to the device’s motherboard.

“Not even Knuckles has the necessary equipment to produce a workable detector display, so I’ll use the next best thing.” Removing the wires from his watch, the fox grabbed a computer cable from his utility belt and connected his watch to a small slot affixed to the detector’s motherboard, still exposed for the young kitsune to see.

“Let’s hope this works…” Tails placed a gloved finger over the button on top of the detector. “One…two…and…three!”

_Click_

A holographic image projected over his wristwatch. It was green, circular, and covered in black lines in a grid-like formation. One red, blinking dot hovered over the center.

“Yes!! I did it! I did it, Sonic!” Removing his watch from his wrist, the fox leapt into the blue hedgehog’s arms, giving him a long hug.

“We did it…” Tails allowed himself to breathe as he rested his face against Sonic’s torso. The elder brother rubbed the kitsune’s back as he leaned back against the wooden kitchen table. “Thank you, Sonic…”

“For what?” The blue hedgehog glanced down at his younger brother. “You’re the one who did all the heavy lifting, injuring yourself, exploring your dreams ‘n whatnot. I just sat on the sidelines.”

“You’re wrong.” Tails looked up at his big bro, resting his chin against his belly. “Without your inspiration, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

“Well, if you _say_ so.” Sonic looked away, a small blush appearing on his muzzle as he ran a gloved hand through his quills. “But don’t sell yourself short. I can’t think of anyone…well…at least anyone good…who could’ve pull off such a feat.”

Wiping a few tears of joy from his eyes, the orange kitsune nodded as he allowed himself to slide off Sonic’s belly and land feet-first against the floor. Tails stood over the table, holding the watch in his palm as he used his free hand to press the button on the half-finished detector once more. This zoomed out the projected image, making the blinking red dot even smaller. Clicking the button a few more times, three additional red dots appeared, all clustered together near the far corner of the grid. Pressing the button four more times, three final smaller dots materialized, scattered along the remainder of the grid.

“Perfect!” Grabbing a spiral notebook and pencil from his utility belt, Tails studied the projection while performing mental calculations, biting his eraser in the process. A few seconds later, the young kitsune drew a sketch of Mobius with seven dots scattered along the map.

“What’s this?” Sonic looked over Tails’ shoulder.

“Using the approximate distance between each of the waypoints, I was able to estimate their approximate locations.” The young kitsune finished filling in his final dot before placing the notebook on the table. “See, this is where _we_ are,” Tails pointed to a small sketch of Angel Island floating over the ocean to the side of a continental mass of land, “and _here_ is Eggman’s base.” He traced his gloved finger across the map until he arrived at a point with three dots, which were located on a sketch of the evil mastermind’s trademarked symbol. “This leaves the three remaining emeralds, which appear to be around the vicinity of…” Tails itched his chin with a gloved finger in thought. “…Casino Night Zone, Aquatic Ruins Zone, and…Lava Reef Zone.”

“Ah, sounds like a cinch.” Sonic patted Tails’ shoulder. “We’ve been to all those places before, so it’ll be like a walk in the park nabbin’ those emeralds!”

“We may be familiar with these zones, Sonic,” the young kitsune replied, looking up at his older brother with a furrowed brow, “but we should still be cautious. We don’t know if Badniks are still roaming these areas or if Eggman is still up to no good. Plus,” Tails added, raising a finger to the air, “if he can truly detect Chaos Emerald locations, we shouldn’t rule out any attempts at ambushing us.”

“You’ve got a point there, little buddy.” Sonic rubbed his chin, looking down at the clever fox sitting below him. “It may not be my style, but if that’s what you wish, we can proceed with caution.” The blue hedgehog cracked a smile.

The young kitsune stood up, strapping the watch back on his wrist and fiddling with a few buttons. “…There! I downloaded the coordinates. Now I just need to put this away…” Tails carefully slipped the open-faced emerald detector into an unused, zipped compartment of his utility belt. Closing it, he patted the outer layer of the compartment a few times before looking back up at the blue hedgehog. “Okay! I’m ready to go!”

Sonic reached a gloved hand out to his younger brother with a smile on his face. “Let’s say we burn some rubber.”

“Right!” Tails gave an enthusiastic nod with a warm smile. Pulling the orange fox closer, the blue hedgehog bent his knees, allowing his younger brother to climb up on his shoulders.

“Oh wait,” Tails said, pointing to the kitchen counter, “the Chaos Emerald. It’ll start shining when we’re in the vicinity of others, so we should probably take it.” Sonic walked toward the green gem, previously retrieved by Rouge. The blue hedgehog tossed it up, allowing the young kitsune to catch it in mid-air. 

“Another adventure awaits!” Tails exclaimed, pointing toward the cabin’s front door, the fingers of his other hand tightly gripping the mythical gem. Giving him a thumbs up, Sonic dashed out of Knuckles’ abode, leaving only a trail of dust in his wake.

As the brotherly duo sped off toward the Tornado 2, Knuckles returned to the cabin.

“Strange…I thought I heard some commotion out here.” Staring at the entryway, Knuckles frowned in confusion. “And why is the door wide open?” Shrugging his shoulders, the red echidna entered his home and examined the components scattered across the table. He then checked the bedroom, only to find an unmade bed, Sonic and Tails nowhere to be found.

“Huh…must’ve gone on a run or something.” Not thinking much else of it, Knuckles lied in bed, using his spiked gloves to prop up his head. “At least now I can get some relaxation.” With none of his friends to disturb him, the red echidna closed his eyes and was at the brink of falling asleep when he shot up, his eyes opening widely as he stomped back to the kitchen. He gasped as he examined the empty countertop.

“MY EMERALD’S MISSING!!”

* * *

**That’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed the twelfth chapter of this fic. As per usual, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!**

**I’ll upload chapter 13 in the next two weeks. In the meantime, feel free to check out the first chapter of[ _Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26289658), a shorter, fluffier fic I’m writing alongside this one. UwU**

**Also, I had some free time during Labor Day weekend to draft out a little one-shot I’ve been meaning to write for some time. It is essentially my attempt at comedy/parody. This should be posted in the near future as well as the second chapter of my fluff fic. :P**


	13. Roll the Bones (Part 1)

Tails expertly flew the Tornado 2 over the dark, moonlit waters below as he used the little light afforded to him to keep a steady altitude. With little wind, and no hazardous weather conditions, though, the flight was a walk in the park for the prodigious fox.

He looked to his left to check on Sonic, who was standing on the biplane’s wing, his arms crossed and a smile across his face; his eagerness for adventure was palpable. Tails smiled as he allowed his mind to wonder.

_Oh Sonic…you’re the best big brother I could’ve ever asked for._

This wasn’t the first time he’d had thoughts like this; ever since he had been taken in by the blue hedgehog so long ago, Tails had thanked him countless times for giving him a chance, for taking in a young, parentless fox as his own sibling, allowing him to be his sidekick.

But this was no ordinary praise. 

_I know you’re being modest, but without your help, who knows when I would’ve gotten the Chaos Emerald detector fixed, if ever. Without your motivation and encouragement, I don’t know_ where _I’d be right now._

Keeping his hands on the flight controls, Miles looked on as he watched Sonic itch the base of his nose with his finger. There was a sparkle of excitement in Sonic’s eyes as he could hardly contain his excitement for the road ahead.

“Thank you, Sonic.”

The blue hedgehog turned his face to the side to witness his younger brother watching him from the covered cockpit. He smiled and waved at him. Tails released one hand from the flight controls to return the gesture.

With a smirk on his face, Sonic proceeded to twirl himself around, one palm resting against the wing of the biplane as he spun his body in circles like a break-dancer. The blue hedgehog came to a stop with his head held up by the elbow resting against the wing. For comedic effect, he used his other hand to point at the young kitsune, flicking his finger upward as if he were shooting a gun.

Playing along, Tails contorted his face as he placed a hand over his chest and fell to the side. Pulling himself up a few seconds later, the two shared a laugh through the cockpit’s glass casing.

“Two minutes until arrival,” came a feminine, computerized voice from his control panel. 

The orange fox looked down at his GPS navigator showing the closing gap between the plane and his destination.

“All right, Sonic,” Tails spoke into a corded speakerphone attached to the console with a black, curly wire, “we’re almost there. I’m retracting the cover now.” Sonic gave him a thumbs up as the casing opened up, allowing him to jump into the backseat.

“Remind me again why I can’t just jump off like usual?” Sonic asked as Tails shut the cover, the whooshing wind growing muffled.

“We gotta be careful, Sonic.” Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog through the rearview mirror. “Remember, we haven’t been to these zones in a while, so best to have our guards up and stick together. Plus, we wanna go by the book, get checked in by security to prevent any suspicion.”

“Sure, sure, the captain’s always right ‘n all that.” Sonic itched the base of his nose once more as he peered over Tails’ shoulder, getting a view of the sight ahead.

Bathed in artificial blue light, the brotherly duo looked on as they saw large, golden buildings dotting the shoreline and seeping well into the mainland as far as the eye could see. Searchlight beams pierced the starry sky above as gamblers, vacationers, and general thrill seekers filled the streets.

In the distance, Sonic and Tails read a large, rectangular, lighted sign which read “Welcome to the Casino Night Zone” with a message in smaller text below reading “Play and gamble responsibly!”

Tails maneuvered the aircraft over several buildings until he reached an empty airstrip. Turning a dial on his dashboard communicator, he picked up the speakerphone and cleared his throat.

“Terminal CNZ, this is Miles Prower onboard the Tornado 2. Requesting permission to land.” Tails looked down at the speakers built into the dashboard as he waited for a response. Finally, after several seconds of radio static, another voice crackled through.

“This is Terminal CNZ acknowledging your request to land the Tornado 2. Your request has been granted. Safe landing, pilot.”

“Roger.” Tails set the speakerphone back in its designated slot on the dashboard and carefully leveled off the plane. Unlike his landings at Angel Island, Tails was greeted with a well-lit, clearly defined concrete path, making for a smooth return to the ground.

“You can park in the nearest hangar, Miles. We’ll keep it reserved for as long as you need.” The flight controller’s voice abruptly ceased once more, replaced with radio crackling.

“Thanks!” Tails maneuvered the biplane as it slowly crept down the runway, eventually entering the deserted hangar. Bringing the Tornado 2 to a stop, the orange fox opened the hatch and flew out of his seat, landing next to his aircraft moments before Sonic jumped out and landed next to him.

“Hmmm…” Tails itched his chin as he looked around the hangar. “Seems a bit empty. Almost _too_ empty.”

“You think Eggman’s up to something?” Sonic asked, looking around the abandoned, spacious building to confirm his young brother’s thoughts.

“Can’t know for sure.” Tails raised his wrist upward and pressed some keys on his communicator, prompting the detector’s green display to project above his watch. “Let’s just keep our guard up while we retrieve the emerald.”

“You bet!” Sonic gave the young fox a thumbs up. Before they left, Tails patted the side of his biplane with an open palm, wishing it goodnight as he locked it with his key fob. Finishing his farewell, the two dashed out of the hangar and toward the center of the Casino Night Zone.

“Should we parkour it like last time?” Sonic looked over at the orange kitsune flying by his side, his namesakes spinning like helicopter wings in order to keep up with the blue hedgehog.

“That’ll attract the least amount of attention, as long as we don’t fall.” The two laughed as they spindashed up the curved side of a building, landing on top of a solid red roof, mirroring all the other structures throughout the Casino Night Zone.

“Boy, one could _never_ get sick of a view like this.” Tails watched the dark skyline; few stars twinkled up above as the duo watched the flickering lights along the cityscape. “Too much light pollution to live here, though. I prefer the middle of nowhere.”

“Yeah, same.” Sonic chuckled as he turned his face to the path ahead. “What’s the detector say about the emerald, Tails?”

“Let’s see…” he pulled up the coordinates once more on his watch. “The emerald is straight ahead!” Tails pointed forward, a never-ending row of buildings spaced roughly equidistant making up the path ahead. Various slopes, pinball-style bumpers, and floating, novelty slot machines made their path less linear than Tails would have hoped, but the nostalgic memories of zipping through these casino and arcade-themed obstacles filled Sonic with a sense of determination.

The blue hedgehog spindashed onward, with the orange fox following close behind.

“Looks like there’re no Badniks about,” Sonic said as his little bro caught up, the two running side by side as they maneuvered over the tall buildings, allowing bouncy springs to propel them forward at fast speeds and colliding against spherical, star-encrusted bumpers which _ding_ ed as they ricocheted against them.

Dodging some gnarly spikes resting along the top of a few more buildings, the duo approached a large blue box serving as an elevator to a higher level.

“Don’t get squished like last time, Tails!” The blue hedgehog gave his orange companion a jovial look.

“That was _one time_ , Sonic!” Tails waved his arms in faux offense as the two shared a laugh. “Besides, it was only my _foot_ that got squished, and my shoe cushioned most of the force.”

“Yeah, I suppose…” Sonic skidded to a halt in front of the levitating cube, which had reached its apex and was about to head back down. “Ya ready to jump?”

“Of course!” Tails gave him a thumbs up as they bent their legs. The two shot up, landing feet-first as the box reached the floor of the roof, stopping briefly before floating upward once more. “Easy as the square root of pi!” The two stepped off the cube as they reached the highest level of the Casino Night Zone.

“Oooooooh, I haven’t gambled in ages!” Sonic ran forward and looked up at a floating slot machine with three rotating reels below a large hedgehog-sized coin slot. Excitement ran across his face. “Ya think I can win big again, bro?”

“Hehe, maybe?” Tails raised a finger to his chin as he looked up at the contraption above. “People don’t come up here to play, you know; these rooftop slots are more marketing ploys for casino-goers, so we don’t know if Eggman’s traps are still active.”

“You’re right,” Sonic replied, his eagerness quickly evaporating. He recalled jumping into the slots back when Eggman controlled the Casino Night Zone and getting attacked by a swarm of spiked balls, making him lose all of his rings. Trying again, however, he managed to win them back, and then some. “We should probably make sure this little trap has been cleared, right?”

“I dunno.” Tails crossed his arms as a look of concern appeared on his face. “Seems rather risky. You promise you’ll be okay?”

“Okay is my middle name! Well…it’s actually _speed_ , but ya get my point.” The two shared a laugh before the blue hedgehog began charging a spindash. Propelling himself forward, Sonic rolled up a ramp, launching with a slight forward trajectory before landing on the base of a downward-slopping pinball table-style bumper. As he was about the roll off, the bumper activated, launching the blue hedgehog up once more, landing inside the floating slot machine.

Sonic spun around as the machine’s three-panels rotated rapidly. After a few seconds, each slot stopped on a ring-shaped jackpot symbol. The slot machine churned out 150 rings in succession, each absorbed by the blue hedgehog who remained spinning in-place near the top of the machine before falling to the metallic ground below.

“Wooh! I’m rich! Aha!” The blue hedgehog spun around in circles as he allowed the young fox to catch up to him. “Now we can finally afford that automated chili dog cooker I’ve been seein’ on TV!”

“Good job, Sonic!” Tails reached his hand out for a congratulatory fist bump, which Sonic returned.

“You wanna give it a shot?” Sonic pointed up at the slot machine above.

“I don’t know.” The orange kitsune scratched the back of his head. “What if Eggman’s traps are still active?”

“Pshhh.” Sonic waved his arms forward. “Would the casino keep these hazards? After all, the Badniks are gone, so why wouldn’t Eggman’s traps be too?”

“I suppose you’re right.” Tails looked up at the slots above as his worried expression was replaced with one of determination. Bending his legs and balling his fists, the young fox began to spin his rotary namesakes as he took flight, levitating above the slot machine above. Rolling into a ball as his tails stopped spinning, he landed squarely into the slot below, activating the spinning panels. After a few seconds, each panel stopped to reveal three Eggman-shaped figures. Instead of being attacked by a swarm of spiked balls, however, the base of the slot opened, allowing Tails to slip out of the machine undamaged, using his namesakes to slow his descent.

“See? I told ya not to worry ‘bout it!” Sonic gave his sidekick a thumbs up.

“Kinda bummed I didn’t win anything, though…” Tails looked downward as he made a light kicking motion with his leg.

“Cheer up, buddy!” Sonic reached his arm around the fox’s shoulder. “I’ll split my winnings with ya. Deal?”

“Okay, Sonic. Deal!” The young kitsune gave the blue hedgehog a thumbs up as the two took off once more, traversing through the hazards and obstacles that primarily served as visual attractions for the Mobians below.

* * *

“C’mon, Bokkun…get it together!” The small messenger robot walked down the halls of Eggman’s fortress, taking a flight of stairs down to the basement as the slick, metallic walls transitioned to hard, pale concrete. Bokkun slowly hovered down the stairs, carrying a note in his hand.

Sighing to himself, he sat on the final step and peered at the door which led to the holding chambers before looking down at the note in his lap. Unfolding it, he read it over for the last time.

_Dear Cream,_

_Sorry for kidnapping you! It was Eggman’s idea, not mine!_

_Anyway, I think you’re really cute._

_Maybe we can hang out some time?_

The small robot’s eyes began to moisten as he looked down at the messy note written in green crayon.

“How could she like me?” He stood up and turned around, his eyes following the stairs upward. “How could she like me after what Eggman did?” Putting his head down once more, he crumpled the note with a tight fist as he wiped his eyes with his other arm.

“No…” Bokkun turned around once more, heading to the door leading to the holding chambers. “I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t ask.” Jumping up and turning the handle, he opened the door and slowly crept in, walking down a narrow hallway with doors running along either side with a small window near the top of each.

“She should be in chamber 5…” Flying up to the window of the fifth door, he pulled open the window’s privacy curtain to reveal the young bunny sleeping in a small bed cuddled next to her chao.

Bokkun gulped as he floated down to the floor. Using a key he stole from Eggman, he quietly unlocked the door and cracked it slightly. Hearing no noise, he opened the door further and tiptoed in, standing over the sleeping bunny.

_Should I wake her up or put the letter somewhere? Should’ve thought this through…_

His internal debate was cut short, however, as Cheese rustled himself awake, disturbed by the artificial light beaming in through the open doorway. He rubbed his tired eyes with his stubby hands before turning his gaze to the small robot before him.

“Uhhh…” Bokkun put on an awkward smile, rubbing the back of his head with a gloved hand. “Hi.” He waved his other hand as sweat formed across his brow.

“Chao! Chao!” Cheese turned to his owner and patted her on the face, trying to wake her up.

“No wait! Don’t do that…” Bokkun said in a hushed voice, but it was too late; Cream slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the sight of her pet chao floating above her.

“…Cheese? Is it time to wake up already?” Still dazed, the young bunny looked around before noticing something out of place.

“Is…the door open?” She muffled a yawn with the palm of her hand as her eyes wandered to the side of her bed. “Oh…hi there…” Her monotone, tired voice instantly morphed into a high-pitched squeal as she finally registered the presence of an Eggman minion in her room.

“No, wait! I mean no harm.” Bokkun waved his arms as he tried to calm the young bunny down.

“What are you doing in here? Spying on a little girl while she’s sleeping…you should be ashamed!” She pulled herself up and allowed her legs to dangle off the side of the bed as she put her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks as she gave the messenger robot a sinister glare. Cheese emulated her, putting his stubby hands against his own hips as he tried as hard as he could to look intimidating.

“I…have a message,” Bokkun struggled to say as he loosened his hand and extended his shaky arm out to the young rabbit, the note crumpled into a ball. “It’s…for you…” Bokkun blushed a deep shade of red as Cream unwrapped the note and read the message.

“Is this…what I think it is?” Cream’s own face turned crimson as her eyes made their way back to the small robot, who was smiling nervously.

“Ummm…yeah…” Bokkun cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his head. “…so what do you say?”

Cream’s mind was racing, unsure how to respond to the messenger robot’s seemingly sincere request.

_Gosh…I’ve never been asked this by a boy before. But I don’t even know him? Why does he like me?_

These questions left her mind, though, as she thought of something more pressing.

Her escape.

“Well, you know…” Cream looked away, somewhat embarrassed as Cheese sat along the side of the bed, puzzled as to what was going on. “…we _could_ hang out, but I’m trapped in this cell.” The young bunny gestured her arm around the chamber. “This room’s a bit too small, don’t you think?”

“Well…yeah, I guess…” Bokkun wiped the sweat across his brow.

“Maybe if we leave, we could pick some flowers together?” She stared into the small robot’s eyes. His face turned red once more before averting his gaze.

“But…but Eggman said you can’t leave,” he said in a quiet voice.

“Who cares what Eggman says!” Cream got up from the bed and planted her feet to the ground before approaching the small, dark blue robot. Setting the note aside, the young bunny grabbed his hands and raised them slightly. “We can go off together! Never have to worry about that meanie ever again!” Bokkun’s face was as crimson as ever as he stared into Cream’s glistening eyes.

“But…that’s against my…directives.” He stepped back as his eyes wondered to the floor below. 

“Do you like his orders?” Bokkun looked back up at the serious-looking bunny, who approached him once more. “Aren’t you sick of him pushing you around? Making you film hostage videos and blowing up TVs?”

“Well…” Bokkun backed up to the opposite wall. “Yeah…but…”

“But nothing!” Cream gave the morally confused robot a hug, his arms frozen solid as his internal processors were failing to compute what was going on. “If you don’t like Eggman, why don’t you quit?”

“But…” Bokkun pulled himself away and began fidgeting with his fingers. “…he’s my creator. I can’t just defy him!”

Frustration built up inside Cream before she stepped back, took a deep breath, and sat against the side of the bed once more.

“It’s either me, or Eggman.” She crossed her arms and looked away. Cheese emulated his master with his own stubby arms.

“I…ummm…” Bokkun struggled to reply. “Well…ummm…” Succumbing to the pressure, he ran out of the containment cell, crying as he pushed the door shut and sprinted down the hallway, leaving Cream and Cheese behind.

“Well Cheese…” The young bunny sighed as she rested her head against the pillow, her hands providing extra support. “…that didn’t work.”

“Chao, chao…” Cheese sounded almost as defeated as his master as he cuddled against her side.

“There, there Cheese, it’ll be okay.” Cream pet the chao’s back as he purred gently. “Sonic and Tails will come save us. I _know_ they will.”

Rolling onto her side, she saw the crumpled note lying next to her. Pulling it closer to her, she read the letter once more before flicking it to the floor below.

_Bokkun…I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings…_

* * *

“Hey Sonic,” Tails began as the two took a breather on top of another blue cube elevator, “it looks like the Chaos Emerald should be just up ahead.” The orange fox pointed at a tall building that towered over all the others.

“I don’t recognize that one.” Sonic covered his brow with a gloved hand to get a better look; the building did look newer, with a brighter tint of gold and less wear and tear from the weather.

“That must be the mayor’s new office,” Tails replied as they hopped off the cube.

“How d’ya know that?” Sonic rubbed his chin as he looked at his knowledgeable little brother.

“I read about it in the paper.” Tails raised a finger to the air while recounting the events proceeding Eggman’s reign over the Casino Night Zone. “After we cleared this place out back in the day, Eggman was forced to abandon the casinos. The Mobian Federation of States organized an election to decide a local governing body for the zone, and…” The fox racked his brain for the name of the successful candidate. “…a guy named…Benjamin Rockefeller won, I believe.”

“To cut right to the chase,” Sonic interjected, “this Rocky Fell-or dude now has the Chaos Emerald?”

“Seems so, yeah.” Tails placed both hands on his hips as he continued looking out at the building ahead.

“Still, it looks like they kinda outdid themselves with the size.” Sonic chuckled by Tails’ side.

“With all the gambling tax dollars pouring into their coffers, I’m not surprised.” Tails rubbed the base of his nose as he looked back at the blue hedgehog.

“Well,” Sonic cracked a smile before stepping to the edge of the roof. “I’m sure this guy’ll be reasonable enough to hand over the gem.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Tails replied in a solemn voice. “I’ve heard the guy is quite greedy. He may not be open to persuasion.”

“We’ll get it back either way.” Sonic slammed his fist against the palm of his other hand. “After all, it’s not like it’s _his_ emerald to keep anyway. It wouldn’t be stealing because he doesn’t actually own it.”

“Let’s be careful, Sonic.” The young kitsune turned to him, concern still written on his face. “Rockefeller holds a lot of influence, even with the Federation.”

“Right on.” Surveying the area, Sonic turned to his younger brother once more. “Say, mind flyin’ us over there?”

“Sure thing!” Planting his feet against the roof of the building, Tails clenched his fists as he began spinning his rotary namesakes, slowly lifting himself up into the air. Reaching his arms downward, Sonic grabbed onto both of Tails’ hands as the fox propelled them forward, gradually increasing their height.

“Convenient having a flyin’ friend around,” Sonic said as the two laughed merrily.

“I’m going to take us around the perimeter to get a good feel for the surrounding area, just in case things get hairy.” Tails kept his face forward as Sonic nodded from below. A sidewalk surrounded the gates enclosing the artificial turf around the building, with a large, stone water fountain on either side of the wide, golden walkway leading up to the front doors. Guards were posted all around the tower with guns holstered.

“Woah, it looks like they mean business!” Sonic exclaimed. “Wanna take us down a block or two? We should probably not land right on their doorstep.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Tails took a 180 degree turn and landed nearby. The fox placed his hands against his bent knees as he panted in exhaustion; while he was able to carry Sonic for relatively short distances, the young kitsune almost overexerted himself this time.

“Ya good?” Sonic approached his younger brother, bending his own knees slightly to get at eye level.

“Yeah, just a second.” Tails took a few more labored breaths before straightening his legs once more. Wiping his brow, he looked up at Sonic and gave a thumbs up. “Let’s just take things a little slow going forward.”

“You bet!” The two walked side-by-side as they approached the front gate leading into the fancy office building complex. Blocking the path stood a tall, muscular Mobian bulldog with ripped biceps, nighttime sunglasses, and a stern, unmoving facial expression.

“You have an appointment?”

“Ummm…no, we do—” Sonic replied.

“Then leave! The mayor’s not taking _any_ walk-ins.” His voice sounded as rough and sinister as his appearance.

“And how can we get a meeting on the books?” Tails asked, looking up at the menacing guard who was about three times his height.

“What do I look like, a secretary?” The guard scoffed at the two below. “Come back when you’ve been approved, and you’ll be let in.”

“But sir, this is rather urgent.” Tails stepped forward, gesturing with his hands as he made his case to the intimidating dog. “It concerns Dr. Eggman and his latest scheme!”

“Don’t matter.” The bulldog crossed his arms as he closed his eyes, maintaining his resolve. “If it is important enough, you’ll get a spot on the mayor’s calendar, although I hear it takes months to get booked.”

“Months?!” Sonic stepped toward the guard, approaching him even closer than Tails moments ago. “We don’t have that kind of time, bub. Who’s in charge here?”

“As far as you’re concerned, _I am_.” The guard swatted his arms forward. “Now shoo before I lose my patience.”

Sonic tightened his facial muscles as he clenched his fists. Tails noticed his brother’s anger growing.

“It’s okay, Sonic.” Tails approached his blue, triangular ear and lowed his voice to a whisper. “I have a back-up plan.” The hedgehog loosened his fists and relaxed his face. Cracking a smile, he nodded before the two took off, walking a few blocks to the west. 

“Whatja have in mind, buddy?” Sonic asked once they were out of the guards’ earshot.

“It’s actually quite simple.” Tails was pressing buttons on his wristwatch communicator. An image projected itself from the watch, displaying a building map.

“Based on these schematics, and if my hunch about the mayor is correct, he’s likely displaying the emerald in his office on the top floor.” The young kitsune looked up at his older brother. “The mayor maintains his residence on the floor below, so we’ll need to quietly sneak into his office.” Tails reached into his utility belt and plucked out his multi-tool, allowing it to rest in the palm of his hand as he showed it to his older brother. “We can use my miniature laser here to cut a hole through the window.”

“Heh, I like how you think, pal!” Rustling the orange fox’s hair, Tails blushed slightly in embarrassment as he turned away.

“Ahh, it was nothin’ really. It wasn’t too complicated.”

“Much better than my plan of running through to the top!” The two shared a laugh before looking up at the tall building once more.

“Here, Sonic.” Tails put his multitool back into his belt and gave him his hand. Sonic clasped on as the orange kitsune began spinning his namesakes, slowly floating upward to a building a few blocks away from the mayor’s office complex. Landing on the roof, the two set their sights on the tall, gold-plated building they were about to infiltrate.

“Here’s the plan,” Tails said as the two huddled like football players. “I’ll get you up to the mayor’s office, which faces the north side of the building. I’ll keep you afloat while you cut your way through to the office, and I’ll hop in after you. Once we grab the emerald, we should leave immediately.”

“Right!” Sonic looked Tails in the eyes as he cracked a smile.

_Glad to see you back in action, little buddy. How’d I ever pull off a mission like this without your big brain?_

“Uhhh, Sonic?” Tails turned to Sonic’s side and waved his hand in his field of vision. “Mobius to Sonic?”

“Ohh, ahh, huh?” Sonic shook his head to bring himself back to reality. “Sorry, I guess I was daydreamin’ a bit.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Kinda reminds me of someone.” He cracked a smile as Tails instantly got the comparison.

“I suppose…” Tails smiled back as he rubbed the back of his head.

“In any case,” Sonic stretched his arms out across each other and jumped up a few times, “I’m ready to go when you are, capt’n.” It was Sonic’s turn to reach his arm out to Tails, who had a look of determination as he nodded. The young kitsune began spinning his namesakes once more.

“Ohh, I almost forgot!” Tails grabbed his multitool from his belt in mid-flight and threw it to the blue hedgehog, who caught it with an outstretched hand. “You’ll be needing this, obviously.” Sonic smiled as he placed the contraption in his quills and reached his arm out once more, allowing the young fox to pull him up as they floated high enough to be eye level with the roof of the mayor’s office complex. Approaching within yards of the building, they observed the opposite side of the roof to find a guard surveying the cityscape.

“Hey Tails, how’s—” Sonic was interrupted with a gentle “shhh” from the young fox, who pressed a single finger against his lips. Tails proceeded to drop himself a few meters lower. He was hoping to get a brief rest break before Sonic broke into the office, but he’d have to tough it out.

Pulling out the multitool with his free hand while the other remained in Tails’ grip, the blue hedgehog examined it a bit, fumbling it between his fingers before aiming it toward the window.

“Here goes nothin’,” Sonic said in a whispered voice. He pressed a button, but instead of a laser, flames shot out of the tip.

“Woahh!” The blue hedgehog nearly dropped the tool before shutting it off, leaving the window covered in black.

“Huh? Who goes there?” The brotherly duo heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the opposite side of the roof.

“Quick, get us out of here,” Sonic said in a rushed, whispered voice. Tails didn’t need to be told twice; he flew them both around to the east side of the building, keeping them a few meters below the roof. They waited until they heard the guard return back to his normal post on the south side of the building before flying to the charred window once more.

“Hurry, Sonic…” Tails’ grip on his older brother’s hand began to slip as his facial muscles tightened and sweat rolled down his brow. Pulling out the multitool once more, Sonic pointed it away from the window and toggled through the settings, testing out each one before attempting to break through the window. After finding functions for an ice beam, various screwdriver sizes, and a novelty confetti mode, the blue hedgehog finally reached the laser. Spinning himself back to the window, he began making his incision, starting at the apex of the circle and making it just large enough to fit through.

“I can’t…hold you…any…longer…” Tails was panting up above as his arm began to tremble, his grip on his older brother becoming dangerously loose.

“Almost there, buddy.” Sonic caught the circular piece of glass as it fell out of the window. He lifted it up to Tails, who grabbed it from him just as Sonic let go of his other hand and dove into the dark executive suite.

“Whew…” The blue hedgehog wiped his brow as he rested a single knee against the carpeted floor. “That was a close one.” Just as he finished collecting himself, Tails dove through the window as well.

“What took ya, buddy?” Sonic asked.

“Well…” Tails breathed heavily as he rested his hands against his knees. “I needed…to drop off…the window piece…somewhere.” He pointed upward, signaling that he must’ve found a good spot on the roof to place it outside the notice of the posted guard.

“Good thinkin’.” Sonic walked over to the orange fox and extended a hand. The young kitsune allowed himself to be pulled up. Dusting off his legs, Tails looked around the dark, spacious office room, noticing the mahogany desk to their right and the various plaques, awards, and expensive pieces of art scattered along the walls.

“Huh?” Tails noticed a glow emanating from his utility belt. Looking inside one of its pockets, he grabbed the green Chaos Emerald from Knuckles’ cabin and held it in the palm of his hand as it glowed various shades of green. Out of the corner of his eye, Tails noticed another glow coming several feet away. The duo approached to find the blue Chaos Emerald sitting on a pedestal, protected by a glass casing.

“Told ya, Sonic.” Tails cracked a smile as he playfully elbowed his older brother.

“Hey, nobody ever doubted ya, bro.” Sonic returned his smile before approaching it. The blue hedgehog was about to knock his knuckles against the glass when Tails stopped him, grabbing hold of his arm.

“Wait, Sonic. There’s probably an invisible alarm mechanism attached to the case.” Sonic pulled his arm back before running his hand through his quills.

“Heh, almost got carried away there.” Turning his attention back to the emerald, he eyed the gem intently. “How do you suppose we get it out, then?”

“Still running ideas through my head.” Tails rubbed his furry chin with a gloved finger. “One option is to simply cut through the glass like we did the window and make a swift escape. Before we try that, though…” The orange kitsune got down to his knees and examined the pedestal. Aiming his wristwatch communicator in the direction of the column-looking stand, he pressed a button to perform a scan. Pressing a few more buttons, a display of the inside of the hollow pedestal appeared above his watch.

“Hmmm…” Tails analyzed the wiring and computer components embedded throughout the interior, as well as the small tracks on the bottom. “I think any attempt we make at taking the gem would retract it into the wall.”

“Huh?” Sonic was dumbfounded. “How’d that even work?”

“Like this.”

A deep, sinister voice came out of nowhere as the pedestal did exactly as Tails described; a small humming noise emanated from the column as it began pushing itself into the wall. A disguised door opened for the emerald to slip through. 

“No!” Before Sonic could reach for the mystical gem, it was gone, now within the wall and outside of their immediate reach. “Okay then, I’ll just have to blast my way through.” The blue hedgehog allowed his fingers to rest on the floor as he pulled his legs back, preparing to charge a spindash that would propel him through the sheetrock. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” came the same voice. Sonic and Tails looked toward the fancy desk to discover the swivel chair spun in the opposite direction, toward the windows.

“It would be the last mistake you’d ever make.”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Chapter 14 will be released on Wednesday, October 7, 2020.**

**Meanwhile, the second chapter of _Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_ will _finally_ be released next week on September 30. My plan is to upload one new chapter every-other Wednesday, rotating between these two stories. I have my upload schedule on my profile. **


	14. Roll the Bones (Part 2)

Sonic and Tails stood by the empty spot that previously held the blue Chaos Emerald as they stared intently at the swivel chair facing the windows of the executive office suite.

“I’m glad you’ve succumbed to reason,” the stranger said in a low, menacing voice. “Charging through the wall like that would’ve cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. Wouldn’t want that now, would we?” He gave a bellowing laugh.

“All right, bub. Just who d’ya think you are?” Sonic clenched his fists.

“You’re Mayor Rockefeller, aren’t you?” Tails asked, joining Sonic’s side.

“That is correct, my inquisitive little friend.” The mayor slowly spun his chair around, his appearance just visible enough from the flashing, artificial lights beaming through the windows. Rockefeller wore a black tuxedo with a white bowtie, a monocle in his left eye and a black top hat covering his head between his triangular, purple ears. The cat smirked as he ran his black-gloved fingers through one curly end of his white moustache, with whiskers poking out along his muzzle. “Nice to know _some_ people have class.”

Sonic clenched his fists even tighter as he approached Rockefeller’s mahogany desk.

“You listen here, Rock-dee Fail-or.” Sonic wagged his finger across the desk, pointing at the well-dressed mayor who didn’t seem fazed by the impending threat. “That Chaos Emerald isn’t yours, and we need it to stop Dr. Eggman.”

“Do you now?” Rockefeller laughed, tilting his head upward before eyeing the blue hedgehog once more. “If I recall, your plan is to deliver them to Dr. Eggman in exchange for the safety of your friend.” Sonic took a step back as his eyes widened. “Well, does that about hit the mark?”

“B…but, how did you…” Sonic stammered as he stepped backward a few paces.

“I have my sources.” Rockefeller tapped his fingers together in succession as he rested his elbows on the armrests. “You need not concern yourself with such trivial matters, though. What you want most of all is the Chaos Emerald, correct?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Sonic was interrupted once more by the mayor.

“Then listen up.” He took a feather pen from a metal holder on his desk, dipped it into a small cup of black ink, and meticulously signed a document in front of him. “You need the Chaos Emerald, but you have no feasible way of retrieving it. If you used force, you’d be a wanted hedgehog, and the public would lose confidence in their _hero_.” Rockefeller chuckled as he turned the paper around and pushed it toward Sonic and Tails, who were now both standing on the opposite side of the desk. “I have an alternative.”

“What’s this?” Sonic asked as he grabbed the parchment, Tails reading it from his side.

“A simple proposition.” The mayor leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk as he sneered at the two heroes before him. “We’re going to have a little game down at my favorite casino. If you win, I will hand over the Chaos Emerald, no questions asked. If I win, however…” he chuckled some more as he intently stared at the blue hedgehog. “You will need to promote my casinos on your little heroic adventures.”

“Huh?” Sonic looked up at the mayor, both hands still clasping either side of the document. “So I’d be your walking billboard?”

“Precisely. You’d also appear in my radio, television, and internet advertisements, all free of charge of course.” Rockefeller turned his attention to Tails. “As for you…” His lips cracked into a wide, menacing smile. “I’m short one butler. If I win, you’d become my personal assistant, doing all the cooking and cleaning as well as tending to all my needs…for free.”

“You _can’t_ be serious.” Tails’ eyes widened at the thought of losing his independence and having to spend his days as a butler rather than building inventions, fighting Eggman, and hanging out with Sonic.

“Okay, _that’s_ too far.” Sonic stepped forward once more, slamming the contract down on the desk. “Your terms are _not_ cool.”

“So you’re saying you _don’t_ want the Chaos Emerald?” The mayor leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, his tail curled around his waist and resting on his lap. Sonic ignored his question entirely.

“How do we know you’re not just going to weasel your way out of it if you lose? And what makes you think we’d keep our end of the deal if we lose?” Sonic folded his arms, a confident smirk appearing on his face.

“Fair questions,” the cat replied, sitting up in his chair. “Both parties have reputations to keep. If I’m seen failing to fulfill the terms of an agreement, the people will lose faith in my governance and the casinos. As for you two, even a tiny little lie will chip away at your image, thus shattering public confidence in your heroic capacities, the same reason why you can’t simply bust through the wall to grab the gem now.”

Sonic’s face pointed downward as he itched the base of his muzzle with a gloved finger. After a bit of thought, the blue hedgehog sighed, looking back up at the mayor with a downcast face.

“Can ya at least leave Tails outta this?”

“Out of the question.” The mayor stood up and faced the window behind, twirling his curly moustache between his fingers. “My terms are final and not up for negotiation. I hold all the chips,” the cat turned around, staring into Sonic’s eyes, “so are you ready to deal?”

“I don’t know…” Sonic ran a gloved hand through his quills.

“Hey, don’t I get a say in this, Sonic?” The blue hedgehog looked down at his orange companion at his side; his fists were clenched, arms partially raised, a look of determination in his eyes.

“What are you sayin’?” Sonic asked, confusion strewn across his face. “You’re not _really_ gonna go through with it, are you?”

“What other choice do we have?” The young kitsune looked up at his brother, who turned his eyes away.

“I don’t know…it just seems so…unfair. You’d be trapped here for who knows _how_ long.”

“Hey,” Tails lifted the blue hedgehog’s gloved hands, “I’ll be fine. I’m _sure_ we can beat this guy at whatever game he has in store.”

“…Just promise to win, okay?” Sonic peered down at the young fox before him, a solemn look on his face. They both assumed that Tails would be Rockefeller’s challenger in their upcoming game.

“I will!” Tails let go of Sonic’s hands and gave him a thumbs up, which the blue hedgehog returned in-kind.

“Okay, Rock-y- Fail-door,” Sonic’s eyes met the mayor’s once more, “we agree to your terms.”

“Excellent.” The mayor chuckled as he pressed a button on a remote in his hand, retracting a strip of wall and window to reveal a makeshift exit. “We can get there by car.” With another press of a button, a dark purple vehicle floated next to the mayor’s secret exit. 

“That car’s a bit too shiny for my taste.” Sonic looked at the vehicle before averting his gaze to the streets below. “I bet I could reach your lil’ casino before this baby even touches the ground.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Rockefeller replied, “but I insist you come with me so I can keep my eyes on you.”

“Geez, the untrusting type, are we?” Sonic shrugged his shoulders as he jumped into the roofless car, sitting in the right-most chair as Tails sat next to his left. This was followed by Rockefeller, who took the driver’s seat.

“All right, take us to Moneybags Casino,” Rockefeller said into a microphone imbedded into the steering wheel.

“Now departing the Casino Night Zone mayoral office for Moneybags Casino,” the feminine, computerized voice said in response before the vehicle autonomously zoomed away.

“Woah!” Sonic exclaimed, raising his arms up as if he were on a rollercoaster. “I wasn’t expecting this ride to go that fast.” Tails looked at the entertained hedgehog as he fastened his seatbelt and mulled over the task ahead.

_We’ve gotta win this. For the sake of my friends, we’ll get the Chaos Emerald back._

* * *

Sonic and Tails followed closely behind the mayoral cat as they entered the casino. Stepping through the sliding glass doors, the open space was packed with bright red slot machines, roulette wheels, and tables of various shapes and sizes managed by casino staff.

The trio made their way to the far corner of the casino. A guard opened the red roped-off path, allowing them to pass into an empty, VIP section with a few open tables.

“Sure is quieter here, right Tails?” Sonic peered down at his younger brother as they walked side-by-side.

“You bet.” Tails itched his triangular ears. “Still a bit loud for my liking, though.”

As the two approached the wide table with Rockefeller stationed on the other end, a waiter stopped them.

“Would you like something to drink?” He wore a red outfit, matching the aesthetic of the casino. “We have a fine assortment of beverages.”

“Ummmm…” Tails fidgeted his fingers, unsure how to respond. “...do you have apple juice?”

“Apple juice?” The waiter took a few moments to ponder this unorthodox beverage request before turning back to the kitchen. “I’ll go check the back.”

“Hey, make that two!” Sonic yelled as the staffer walked away.

“You know,” Tails began, turning his attention to the blue hedgehog, “I just realized we’re _probably_ not technically allowed to be in here.”

“Nonsense!” Rockefeller said on the opposite side of the gambling table. “While we generally forbid minors from entering our casino, I have allowed a special exception for you two.” As he spoke, another red-garbed staffer wheeled in a cart with a sheet covering a cubed object. Pulling it off with a tug, the mayor revealed the blue Chaos Emerald underneath, which shone as it reacted to the green gem tucked away in Tails’ utility belt.

“Now then,” the cat straightened his suit jacket and tightened his bowtie, “let’s get down to business. I’ll first explain the rules, and then you will compete against me. But first…” He removed the rolled-up contract from his jacket pocket and set it on the table, pushing it closer to the brotherly duo. “…you need to sign.”

“You sure about this, Tails?” Sonic asked as he peered down at the parchment.

“Yes, absolutely sure.” Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog with determination in his eyes before pulling a pen out from his utility belt and signing one of the dotted lines at the bottom. Passing the pen over, Sonic did the same and pushed the form back to the mayor.

“Excellent…” He cracked a wicked smirk as he rolled the parchment back up and inserted it in his jacket pocket.

“Excuse me,” came the waiter’s voice from behind, “your drinks.” He lowered the tray, allowing the two to grab their cold glasses.

“Thanks!” Tails said, placing a coin on the serving plate.

“It was my pleasure.” He bowed and left, pocketing the young kitsune’s tip as he tended to the rest of the casino.

“That’s strange.” The young fox looked down into his glass to observe the beverage sizzling over ice cubes. “Apple juice isn’t supposed to be carbonated…and it smells kinda funny, too.” Taking a sip, his face contorted as he gagged to the side.

“Ewwww…what’d they put in this stuff?” Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog, who took a sip of his own. Like his younger brother, Sonic’s face became twisted as he coughed profusely into his arm.

“I dunno, lil’ bro.” Sonic gagged some more as Tails took a deeper sniff of his beverage.

“This is alcohol. No wonder why it tastes so bad.” Setting the glass to the side, Tails shrugged his shoulders as he turned his attention back to the mayor.

Rockefeller cleared his throat as the brotherly duo approached the long, rectangular table, resting their hands against the edge as they watched the cat intently.

“The rules are rather simple.” Clicking a button on his side of the green, matted surface, a tray opened on either side holding a pair of dice. “You simply roll the dice across the table. You accumulate points proportional to your dice results, so if you roll a five and a four, you get nine points, however,” the mayor ran gloved fingers along the edge of his curly moustache, “you will _lose_ points if you roll doubles, so if you roll two fives, you lose 10 points.” Rockefeller picked up his pair, rolling them around his fingers. “The first one who gets to 50 points wins. Any questions?” He cracked a wicked smile as he peered across the table.

“So it’s a game of chance?” Tails asked, rubbing his finger against his furry chin.

“Precisely.” The cat chuckled under his breath. “Fate is just the weight of circumstances…after all, that’s how Lady Luck dances. Life is more interesting when left to these types of chances.”

“I don’t get this guy,” Sonic crossed his arms as he peered down at the orange kitsune once more, “and something doesn’t seem right here.”

“I’m just as confused as you are, Sonic.” Tails picked up his own dice, allowing them to rest in the palm of his hand. “Is he _really_ willing to risk losing the Chaos Emerald over what essentially amounts to luck?”

“I’ll roll first to determine the order.” Shaking his dice in his hand, Rockefeller kissed his knuckles before throwing them down the table. They bounced against the small barrier at Tails’ end before coming to a stop.

“Woahh,” Sonic and Tails said in unison as they peered down at the five and six before them.

“Aha! That’s 11, although I’m sure you can count for yourselves.” Rockefeller gave a menacing laugh as he pulled back the dice with a professional dice stick. “Let’s see if you can do better than that.”

“Well,” Tails looked forward, clenching his dice-filled fist, “here goes nothing!” The young kitsune threw the dice forward. They ricocheted against the raised edges of Rockefeller’s side of the table. “A three and a two?”

“Not a strong start, huh buddy?” Sonic put a hand on Tails’ shoulder. “This doesn’t count for points, though, so we’re still on even ground.” The blue hedgehog stared down at the young fox, who focused on the dice across the table intently. “Ya okay, bro?”

“Ohh, what?” Tails shook his head and looked back up at his companion next to him. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Pulling a dice stick from the wall, Tails racked the dice back to him and picked them up, analyzing them closely.

“Round one!” Rockefeller called, shaking the dice in his hand once more. “When the dice are hot, take a shot!” Kissing his knuckles once more, he threw his arm forward and loosed his grip on the cubes, allowing them to crash against Tails’ side of the table.

“What?” Tails stared down in disbelief as he saw the five and six before him. “But the probability of getting the same dice roll combination twice in a row is super low!” The young fox looked to the side as Rockefeller’s score appeared on a digital display.

“Your move now, fox boy!” Rockefeller smile grew even wider as he played with his moustache once more.

Cupping both of his hands together, he shook the dice within before throwing them toward the table below.

“Four and five.” The sign blinked once more, showing his score of nine alongside the mayor’s 11. Pulling his dice back, he cleared the way for Rockefeller to take another throw.

“Five and six?!” Tails was aghast, his eyes wide open as he studied the mayor’s dice. Lifting his face, a look of anger appeared in his eyes as he pointed at the mayor across the table. “Okay, just what kind of stunt are you pulling here?”

“What, me?” the cat mockingly responded, placing a hand to his chest.

“The probability of achieving three identical roll combinations is stupidly low. You’re playing some sort of trick, aren’t you?”

“If I were,” Rockefeller responded, “wouldn’t you be smart enough to figure it out?”

“I…” Tails’ downcast face blankly stared at the dice as the mayor pulled them away.

“Hey Tails,” Sonic approached his younger brother’s side, “need a breather?” The fox’s blank expression, however, changed to one of determination as a lightbulb went off in his head, furrowing his brow as he pulled his watch up and scanned the table and the dice.

“Aha! Just as I thought.” Tails projected a diagram of the table above his watch. “He _programmed_ his dice to stack the deck in his favor, guaranteeing perfect rolls every time.”

Sonic and Tails looked up as they heard the sound of slow clapping coming from the mayor.

“Very good, Tails… _very_ good.” He maintained a menacing smile. “I knew you’d figure it out eventually.”

“Hey, bub!” Sonic approached the mayor. “ _That’s_ cheating!” He grabbed the mayor’s collar, pulling him closer to him with either hand.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He eyed the crowd of bystanders who looked over at the source of the commotion. “Wouldn’t want to sully your image, would you?” The blue hedgehog began to loosen his grip on Rockefeller’s suit. “Besides, the contract did not forbid the use of custom equipment. You’re welcome to use your own if you have it.”

Sighing to himself as he watched the crowd gawking from across the red rope barrier, Sonic dropped his hands and returned to Tails’ side.

“Seems like he has us cornered.” The blue hedgehog pushed a hand through his quills as Tails was busy pressing buttons on his communicator watch. “I’m sorry I pulled you into this, buddy.”

“No need to be apologize, because I figured out how to stop him from cheating.” Clicking a few more keys, he put his wrist down as he turned his attention to the snickering mayor. “I’ve severed the link between the table and your dice, so you’ll no longer have the advantage.”

“Bravo,” the mayor continued, resting his hands on the table as he eyed the fox carefully, a grin still covering his face, “once again, to be expected, but you should be smart enough to know just how little this’ll do now.” Tilting his head in the direction of the digital scoreboard, Tails was reminded of the substantial gap between their points: his nine to Rockefeller’s 22. “Of course, you could always turn your cards down, unless you think there is still time to turn this game around.”

Looking down at the dice in his hands, Tails cracked his own smile, chuckling under his breath as he met the mayor’s gaze.

“Have you succumbed to the pressure, Miles?” Rockefeller toyed with his moustache as he watched the young kitsune’s namesakes fluttering behind him. “Or perhaps that tiny little sip of hard cider is getting to you?”

“Neither.” He threw his pair of bones upward, spinning his tails around to smack the dice like a tennis player landing the perfect serve. The cubes crashed against the cat’s side of the table, bouncing off the barrier with such intensity that they rolled back to Tails’ side. 

“A five…and a six?” The mayor’s face contorted as he peered across the table. “Heh, just a lucky throw. It won’t happen again!”

“Oh yeah?” Tails replied, his smirk unmoving as he placed his gloved hands against his hips. “We’ll see about that!” The scoreboard dinged as his nine was replaced with a 20, only two points behind the devious cat. “The odds are now even, the stakes the same, but you’re still willing to bet your reputation? Pshhh, how lame.” The fox gestured his arm about. The mayor’s eyes followed it, discovering the crowd of people now watching from the sidelines.

“Go Tails! Go Tails! Go Tails!” they chanted, having all but forgotten their own games in favor of cheering on the orange kitsune.

“Don’t get cocky, you _raps_ callion.” Rockefeller’s face began to grow red as he clenched his silk glove-covered hands into fists.

“Do you even know what that means?” The young kitsune folded his arms. “Maybe you should stop wordsmithing and stick to what you do best: dirty politicians and even dirtier casinos.” The crowed audibly gasped.

“Do you think your taunting is going to phase me?” He tugged at his collar and cleared his throat, collecting his bearings once more as he shook his dice in a single hand, kissing his knuckles once more before throwing the dice toward the other side of the table. The top sides showed two fours.

“What?!” His pupils contracted as his hands froze above the table. “How can this be? I can’t _believe_ this!” The scoreboard dinged again: 20 to 14.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Tails closed his eyes as he rubbed the base of his nose, unintentionally emulating his older brother. “You put all your trust in trickery, but now it has come back to bite you.” The mayor backed up, sweat rolling down his face as his arms shook. Tails pointed toward the mayor with a furrowed brow. “You’ve taken advantage of your wealth and status for so long that you’ve forgotten what it means to play fair and square,” the young kitsune chuckled under his breath, “and now that you’ve flown too close to the sun…you’ve melted your wings.” He flung the dice upward once more, this time launching the bones with a backhanded strike from his namesakes. Ricocheting against the back of the table, the dice rolled to the center, revealing another five and a six.

“No…this is _impossible_!” The mayor yelled, slamming his fist on the table as the scoreboard updated once more: 31 to 14.

“What’s wrong, _mayor_? Coughing up a furball?” The cat ripped his bowtie off his neck and threw it against the ground as the crowd laughed.

Sonic was watching from the side, his back leaning against the wall with arms folded, a look of concern on his face.

_What’s up with Tails? This isn’t like him at all._

The blue hedgehog itched his nose as he studied the scoreboard to his side.

_Well, at least he’s turning things around. We’ve practically already won the Chaos Emerald._

Sonic cracked a smile, suppressing his concerns as he watched the young kitsune give the audience a peace sign with one hand, scratching the back of his head with the other. The crowd’s cheering grew.

The mayor grumbled as he threw his dice once more, this time landing a six and a two.

**31 to 22**

Tails grabbed his abandoned beverage and gulped it down rapidly. Gagging into his elbow before wiping the suds from his muzzle. He threw the dice inside, using his free hand to keep them contained as he shook the cup. The crowd chanted Tails’ name while clapping in rhythm, only increasing the suspense. After a full thirty seconds, he snapped the cup upward, allowing the dice to fly toward the ceiling. As they made their way back down, Tails head-butted the dice, propelling them forward to land on the table.

A five and a six.

The crowd cheered once more, their intensity only growing stronger.

**42 to 22**

Tails pulled his dice back, rolling them around in his palm. He grimaced as the dice left a sticky residue in his glove.

“Okay, _maybe_ I won’t pull that stunt again.” He laughed as he itched the back of his head with his free, non-sticky hand.

“No…” The mayor threw his top hat against the ground, stomping on it until it was as flat as a pancake.

“Come on, Rockefeller,” Tails said, placing his hands on his hips, “it’s just a game. Besides, with your wealth, I’m sure you could afford jewels much larger and fancier than the Chaos Emerald.”

“I won’t let it end like this!” He threw the bones against the floor and yelled as if in pain.

The crowd collectively gasped as a bright aura appeared to cover the raging mayor.

“Is that…static?” Tails watched in horror as Rockefeller’s eyes began to bulge, his tuxedo deteriorating before his eyes as his fur appeared to dissolve. His monocle cracked and fell from his eye, dangling off of its gold chain as his body was bathed in artificial light.

“What’s goin’ on, Tails?” Sonic jumped across the table and joined Tails’ side. The young fox hesitated before turning to the crowd, who watched with gaping mouths.

“Everyone, get out now!” Tails flicked his arm forward, pointing to the nearest emergency exit. “Things are about to get dangerous. Get out now!”

As if on cue, the sprinklers turned on, covering everyone with water as they ran out of the casino, leaving Sonic, Tails, and Rockefeller.

“No…that can’t be right…” Tails was stunned at what he saw: the mayor’s fur was replaced with slick, purple metal, his eyes black with a yellow dot in each. Eggman’s trademarked symbol was printed across his arm.

“He’s…an Eggman robot?” Tails stepped back as sprinkler water rolled down his face.

The mayor laughed as he opened a control panel in his arm, pressing a red button within.

“Precisely, you _pathetic_ degenerate.” He snickered as the sound of metallic footsteps approached the VIP section of the casino. “I may have been elected to serve the people, but I was built _only_ to serve the great, evil mastermind Dr. Robotnik!” He raised a fist to the air.

“But…you _can’t_ be the mayor! Eggman’s not advanced enough to replicate Mobians that well!” Tails exclaimed.

“Ohh, but I can,” the robot replied, twirling his mechanical tail from behind, “and it seems your knowledge of the doctor’s technological prowess is lacking.” He gave an evil grin through his mechanical teeth as a horde of Egg Pawns circled around the heroes, crushing the red rope barrier as the gap between them narrowed. Sonic and Tails stepped back, now against the wall next to the glass case holding the blue Chaos Emerald.

“All right, Tails,” Sonic began, shattering the glass with a spindash and snagging the gem, placing it snuggly within his quills, “think you’re up for takin’ ‘em out?”

“You bet!” Tails gave his older brother a thumbs up before furrowing his brow, a look of determination crossing his face as he raised his fists. “Whoever destroys the most buys the other chili dogs.”

“I thought we shared expenses, remember?” Sonic replied, a smirk on his face as he watched Eggman’s robots step closer.

“If I win, I’ll do the heavy lifting and order.” Tails winked at the blue hedgehog, who recalled his younger brother’s reference to their park escapade shortly after his hospital stay.

“You bet!” They both scanned the room, estimating how many were descending upon them before assuming a fighting stance, bending their knees and raising their arms.

“Ready…set…go!” the brotherly duo yelled before charging forward. Sonic jumped across the room, curling up into a ball as he bounced against many of the pawns in the center of the fray, the sound of bending metal omnipresent as he took down many of them one by one.

Tails fared almost as well, charging a spindash before knocking down an entire row of robots like bowling pins, skidding to a stop on the other side to catch his breath. As another robot lunged forward, Tails swooped his arm to the left, launching a damaged Egg Pawn to the ground with a devastating punch as another took its place.

The young kitsune cracked a smirk as he jumped on top of the downed machine, using it as a launching pad to propel himself higher, spinning his namesakes as he reached the apex of his jump. Fishing in his utility belt for a small, golden ring, he pulled it out and gently crushed it in the palm of his hand, activating the dummy ring bomb as it began beeping while gradually growing in size.

The young fox spun around, watching intently as a lance-wielding robot prepared to throw its weapon at him.

“Taaaake…that!” Tails threw the bomb. It exploded upon impact, sending machine parts flying as black smoke filled the open casino. 

“How ya doin’, buddy?” Sonic called from the tall slot machine directly below him.

“Totally fine.” Tails wiped the moisture from his brow as he peered down at the never-ending array of Egg Pawns. “If this keeps up, though, we’ll have to flee.”

“Here!” Sonic seemingly ignored the young kitsune’s observation, instead reaching his arm upward, wiggling his fingers.

“Right.” Tails furrowed his brow as he grabbed Sonic’s hand. “Ready, Sonic?” The blue hedgehog grinned as he gave his younger brother a thumbs up with his free hand. “Here we go!” Tails swung Sonic upward with both hands as the blue hedgehog curled into a ball, crashing against the ceiling. As he fell back down, Tails used a mid-air somersault to increase his momentum, slamming his curled namesakes against Sonic’s spherical form, launching him down like a fast-approaching meteorite.

Sonic crashed into a group of five Egg Pawns, virtually disintegrating them on impact as the fiery explosion launched the blue hedgehog back up. Thankfully, Sonic remained tightly curled, absorbing the shock of the blast and taking no damage.

Tails caught his older brother like a basketball before scanning the ground below, looking for his next target.

“There!” The orange fox raised the blue hedgehog over his head and slammed him down once more. Sonic pierced through the cheap metal of the Egg Pawns as he bounced back up to the young kitsune, another metallic pile of charred debris smoldering below. Grabbing him once more, Tails swooped down to a clearing near the corner of the casino, between a long hallway of slot machines on either side.

“Think I’ll make a strike?” Tails asked, gripping the blue hedgehog in the crook of his right elbow as he pulled it back, using his other arm to balance himself.

“Only one way to find out!” Sonic replied.

“Here it goes!” Sticking his tongue out the side of his mouth, Tails bent his legs as he charged his right arm, flicking it forward as he released the blue hedgehog close to the ground. Sonic rolled through the upcoming onslaught of Egg Pawns, each blowing up upon impact, creating a fiery path stretching across the casino.

Tails ascended once more, spinning his namesakes as he flew toward the blue hedgehog standing confidently on the other side of the open area.

“Boy, they sure don’t seem to be lettin’ up,” Sonic said, greeting the young kitsune as he landed next to him.

“Yeah, it’s like they’re coming out of nowhere!” Tails placed his hands against his knees, breathing heavily.

“You thinkin’ it’s time we blow this popsicle stand?” Sonic asked, looking at his younger brother out of the corner of his eye.

“Yes, a tactical retreat is in order.” Tails straightened his legs and wiped his brow before turning to the emergency exit. The two ran outdoors, where they were met with another horde of Egg Pawns covering either side of the dark alley way.

To Tails’ surprise, Sonic grabbed him from behind, carrying him with his back cupped between his arms as the blue hedgehog ran up the gold building, gaining enough speed and traction to maneuver up the 90-degree incline.

“Ya doin’ okay, buddy?” Sonic asked, stealing a glance at his younger brother in his arms. Tails nodded, looking up at the smiling hedgehog above, who had since returned his attention to the dark, starlit sky.

Launching up the side of the building, Sonic landed feet-first on the roof. Dropping to one knee, he slowly loosened his arms, allowing Tails to steadily drop to the surface, his feet planted against the roof.

“That was some good thinking, Sonic,” Tails rubbed the back of his head as a light tint of red appeared over his muzzle, “although it was a little embarrassing.”

“What’s so embarrassing about your bro carryin’ ya like a _liddle_ _baby_?” The two shared a laugh, but it was soon cut off by the sound of helicopter wings above.

“It’s him!” Tails pointed up to reveal the purple robot piloting the aircraft with a menacing smile on his face.

“So my plan to publicly humiliate you was a flop,” Rockefeller maneuvered a joystick and rested his metallic thumb against its red button, “but at least the doctor will be pleased to see his nemesis defeated once and for all!”

“This is the end, Sonic and Tails!” The cat pressed the button, launching missiles toward the two heroes.

“Oh no!” Tails stood frozen as one of the projectiles approached him at a rapid speed. Just in the nick of time, however, Sonic dove against him, launching the two to the ground, just barely dodging the attack.

The blue hedgehog quickly pulled up the orange fox as he itched the base of his nose with his other hand, looking up at the helicopter above them. The aircraft spun around as its occupant repositioned it above the heroes below.

“You won’t dodge me again, you putrid rodents!” Rockefeller laughed maniacally as he carefully aimed his artillery.

“Hey Tails, I have a plan.” Sonic whispered into the young kitsune’s ear. Tails nodded as he braced his legs and began spinning his namesakes. Flying upward, Sonic jumped up and grabbed Tails’ hand as they approached the base of the aircraft. The fox hovered in place, allowing the hedgehog the opportunity to grab the landing skid. Tails grabbed the opposite skid. Sonic nodded his head, giving him the signal to climb into the cockpit.

“Hey, what are you…” Rockefeller was interrupted as Sonic delivered a fist to his metallic face, causing his head to spin 720-degrees. The blue hedgehog kept him pinned to the seat.

“Now’s our chance!” Sonic yelled.

Tails nodded as he dove over his older brother, setting himself next to the joystick.

“Steady as she flies,” Tails muttered to himself as he began the helicopter’s descent. Dropping only a few feet, Tails was kicked to the side by the flailing robot, whose legs were unrestrained.

“Oh no!” Tails pulled himself up, watching as the helicopter made a deep, leftward drop to the ground below.

“Sonic, we’re gonna crash, ahhhhhh!” Tails yelled as he pulled the joystick toward him, attempting unsuccessfully to level off the aircraft as it nosedived to the street below.

“Tails, we’re gonna have to jump!” Sonic pulled his younger brother into his arms as he launched them out of the left-side door.

Sonic twisted his body so that his back was facing the ground as he wrapped himself around the young kitsune, attempting to protect him from the fall.

“Sonic, don’t—” He was cut off by the sound of rending metal; Sonic landed back-first against the hood of a taxi cab, bouncing once more before landing on the street, still gripping his younger brother as he muffled his cry against Tails’ head, tightly hugging him from behind.

Moments later, the helicopter’s nose collided with the pavement several yards away, exploding on impact as flames billowed into the air. Sonic’s eyes shot open as he heard the explosion, rolling himself over the orange kitsune to protect him from any shrapnel.

The young fox had no time to object to or register what was going on, and even if he had, the blue hedgehog wrapped himself around him so tight that he wouldn’t have been able to move anyway.

Just as the explosion ceased, Sonic’s grip against the orange kitsune loosened as he collapsed on top of him, resting his face against his chest.

“S…Sonic?” Tails gently pulled himself out from under the blue hedgehog and rolled him over. “Sonic!!”

_Stay calm, Tails…everything’ll be fine. He’s seen worse than this._

The orange kitsune took a deep breath before assessing the worn hedgehog before him; he had a few small, minor cuts along his arms, but nothing too serious, as most of the shrapnel missed him. Sonic winced, however, when Tails attempted to move his arm.

_Okay…at least he’s awake._

“Sonic, can you hear me?” Tails leaned in close to Sonic’s face.

“Y…yeah.” Sonic slowly opened his eyes, keeping them half shut as he cracked a small smile. “We…made it, bro.”

“We sure did, Sonic…” The young fox teared up, returning his brother’s smile. “We sure did…”

“Don’t cry…little buddy.” Sonic slowly sat up and reached a wobbly hand toward the orange kitsune’s muzzle, clearing away the tear with his gloved finger. “We’re okay now.” They froze as they heard the approaching sound of emergency vehicles. 

“I’d normally want you to get treated by a professional,” Tails said, reaching his arms below Sonic’s head and legs, “but with Eggman secretly running the show around here, who knows who we can trust. Gotta take you somewhere safe.”

“H…hey Tails, I…can walk, y’know,” Sonic struggled to say as the young kitsune picked him up, cradling his older brother like a baby against his furry chest.

“Even if you could, I want to get a better look at you before you’re back on your feet.” Tails activated his rotary namesakes as he slowly took off.

“Tails…” Sonic nestled his face against Tails’ chest, his eyes drooping from exhaustion. 

“Yeah, Sonic?” Tails peered down at his older brother as he maintained his course. 

“…thank you.” He cracked a smile as he struggled to form a thumbs up. Tails smiled back while nodding his head, a few fresh tears forming beneath his eyes as they escaped the fiery mess they left behind, his occasional hiccup drowned out by the sound of the young kitsune’s rotary namesakes.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 14! Special shoutouts to the fanfic writers and readers over on the r/milesprower[Discord server](https://discord.gg/vYnKa3R) for providing feedback and advice! Also, the title of these two chapters, and some of the banter between Tails and Rockefeller, were inspired by Rush’s _Roll the Bones_ album. Feel free to [check it out](https://open.spotify.com/album/2myflcR6pL3Eo0vJFkyHbU?autoplay=true) if you’re looking for gambling-themed progressive rock to add to your music collection. :P**

**Expect to see chapter 15 of _A Prelude to Chaos Control_ uploaded no later than Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Meanwhile, chapter 3 of [_Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26289658) will be uploaded no later than Wednesday, October 14. You can find my current upload schedule on my [FFN account](https://www.fanfiction.net/~andtails). **


	15. Aquatic Ruins Segue

Sonic slowly opened his eyes, the brightness of the moon, the twinkling of the stars, and the artificial lights beaming from the casinos allowing him to make out the dark figure of his younger brother cradling him from above. Tails’ eyes were aimed ahead as he spun his rotary namesakes toward the airstrip.

Sighing to himself, the blue hedgehog rested his weary face against Tails’ chest as he allowed himself to relax. Indeed, it was as if the pain from his right arm and the small flesh wounds scattered around his body melted away as he floated high above the heavens.

As he was about to reenter dreamland, however, a sound from above woke him.

“…Hic.”

“…Huh?” Sonic opened his eyes once more to find the young kitsune hiccupping from above. “You…okay, bro?” Sonic was still half-asleep as he rubbed his eyes with his left hand.

“…Hic…yeah, S...Sonic, jus’ a…lil’…dizzy is all…hic!” Tails shook his head as his flight pattern began to zig zag. “ “T…there is…hic!...it is.” The blue hedgehog turned his head to see the airport where they had stored the Tornado. As the orange fox began making his descent, however, his grip on his older brother began to give way.

“Tails?” Sonic looked back up at his younger brother. “I feel like I’m gonna fall here!”

“Huehue, you… _fall_?” The orange kitsune chuckled under his breath between a few additional hiccups. “Me…make _you_ fall? I’d _neve’_ do ‘dat!” As he said this, though, his arms gave way, the blue hedgehog falling to the city below.

“Sonic!” As if cured of his ailment, the orange kitsune dove down, grabbing Sonic by the ankle as he made a masterful swoop, returning to the sky above and clearing the tall gates around the airstrip.

Hanging upside down, Sonic looked up at his younger brother, whose arm was shaking as he swayed him left and right.

_Okay, I’m not likin’ this at all._

Gliding down to the cement below, Tails dragged Sonic’s head against the cement as the young fox landed on the surface. Groaning as he pushed himself up, the blue hedgehog shook himself off before approaching his younger brother, who could hardly keep himself standing upright.

“You don’t look too good, Tails.” Sonic gave him a look of concern as the orange kitsune chuckled in response, followed by a few additional hiccups.

“I’m fiiiine, Sonic.” Tails waved his arms forward as if to dismiss his concerns but falling forward in the process.

“I gotcha!” Sonic caught the young kitsune against his right arm, causing the injured hedgehog to yelp in pain.

“Oh, your arm?” Tails struggled to keep himself upright as he used Sonic’s other shoulder for balance. “Let’s get a looksee.”

“Not now, Tails,” Sonic replied, pushing the fox away with his good arm as he struggled to hold in the pain. “Let’s just get outta here before…” The blue hedgehog was interrupted by a circling swarm of Egg Pawns descending upon their location. “…more bad guys show up.”

“C’mon, Sonic!” Tails itched the base of his nose as his legs wobbled below him. “We can take ‘em! Hiccup!”

“As much as I’d love to,” Sonic placed his left hand on Tails’ shoulder, “we’re in no condition to fight. Let’s mosey on out of here, huh?”

“If you say so…Sonic…hic!” The blue hedgehog hauled him over his left shoulder and sped toward the hangar, dodging the Egg Pawns that stood between them. Making it inside, Sonic set the young fox down and reached into his utility belt, pulling out his key fob.

“Yes!” Sonic pressed a button on the remote device which unlocked the Tornado and retracted the glass casing over the cockpit.

“I get to drive!” Tails shouted, waving his arm up as Sonic picked him up once more.

“Oh no you don’t!” Sonic pulled him across his shoulders once more before jumping up toward the wing and hopping into the pilot’s seat.

“But I’m yo…your pilot, Sonic!” Tails’ eyes began to water. “You…need me…ri…hic!..right?” The blue hedgehog was about to strap Tails into the backseat when a lightbulb went off in his head, cracking a smile as he plopped him in his lap instead

“Sure thing, pal! Pilot’s orders.”

“…Pilot’s…hors d'oeuvres.? H-hiccup…”

“Yeah…just place your hands on the wheel, and I’ll start the engine.”

“O…okay.” The fox dried his tears before gluing his gloved hands on the yoke as Sonic twisted some knobs and pulled some levers, starting the Tornado’s ignition sequence. Sonic placed his palms over Tails’ own as the propellers began spinning, prompting his younger brother to look back at him in confusion.

“Do you trust me, pal?” Sonic asked, a smile on his face.

“…Hic…always.” Tails gave a delayed nod as he loosened his grip on the yoke, allowing Sonic’s hands to slip between as the blue hedgehog drove the plane out of the hangar and took off into the dark sky, leaving behind a horde of Egg Pawns.

“Yay! I’m…hic…flyin’, Sonic! See, I’m flyin’!” Tails had a smile on his face as he loosely gripped Sonic’s hands.

“Yeah, buddy,” Sonic nodded his head, “yes you are.”

Reaching a steady altitude, it didn’t take long for the blue hedgehog to figure out what was wrong with his younger brother. All it took was a few sniffs.

“Is that,” Sonic sniffed again, the orange kitsune directly below him in his lap, “the apple cider?”

“Oh yeah, that apple juice was…hic!... _nasty_.” Tails made a dry spitting noise.

“Once you’re better, we’re gonna have a _long_ talk about alcohol, okay?” Sonic peered down at his little brother once more, who seemingly didn’t hear him, instead humming softly as he bopped his head left and right to the tune of a song in his head. The blue hedgehog couldn’t help but grin, chuckling under his breath as he rustled the orange kitsune’s hair with his left hand, the fox’s ear involuntarily twitching at the touch. As he repositioned his right hand over Tails’ own, however, he was reminded of the pain in his arm from the helicopter crash. He ignored it, though, clenching his teeth as he looked for a good place to land.

* * *

“And here we are.” Sonic landed safely in an open clearing across from a forest separated by a long, winding river.

“Tails?” The blue hedgehog peered down to find his sidekick sleeping peacefully in his lap, his hands still connected to the yoke, a snot bubble growing and shrinking with each snore.

Retracting the glass casing surrounding the cockpit, Sonic carefully cradled Tails in his arms, putting more of his weight on his left than his right, as he dropped down to the grass below, bending his knees to absorb the fall. He slowly made his way to the river, gently setting his younger brother down before kneeling over the dark blue water running downstream. Lowering his head closer to the cool water, the blue hedgehog cupped his hands together and filled the makeshift bowl. He took a few sips before splashing the rest against his face.

“Ohh, I _needed_ that.” Sighing to himself, he looked back at his younger brother lying in the grass, sleeping with arms and legs spread out as his chest rose and fell. Turning his attention back to the river, he cupped his hands once more, filled them with water, and carefully crawled over to the sleeping kitsune.

“Here, Tails,” Sonic slowly tipped his hand bowl, a small stream of water running into Tails’ open mouth. Scrunching his face, the young kitsune was now just awake enough to curl himself into a fluffy ball, wrapping his entire body with his warm tails as he fell back asleep.

Smiling to himself, Sonic approached the rear of the Tornado and opened the back hatch, revealing various supplies the young kitsune kept for emergencies such as these. Reaching in, Sonic pushed away various rations, flashlights, portable heaters, articles of winter attire, radios, and batteries to find a single large sleeping bag. Pulling it out, Sonic walked back to his snoozing sidekick and laid it down next to him. He unzipped the flap, removed Tails’ shoes, followed by his own, and gently slid him into the warm blanket. Slipping himself in as well, Sonic zipped the bag up from the inside and snuggled in close to his little brother, providing extra warmth for the both of them against the evening chill.

* * *

The orange kitsune woke to a light breeze against his muzzle, a fire warming him from a few meters away, and the smell of something delicious.

The latter made his stomach gurgle.

Opening his eyes, he found himself in a sleeping bag in a forest, an empty spot to his left that still felt warm. Raising his gloved hands to his eyes, the feeling of hunger was overtaken by the sharp pain he felt in his head. Raising a single palm up to his forehead, he groaned as he pulled himself up.

“Mornin’, sleepyhead.” Tails turned toward Sonic, who was sitting on a log, holding a frying pan in one hand and a wooden spatula in the other, meticulously preparing the food within.

“My head’s killing me,” the young fox struggled to say. “What happened last night?” He took a whiff of the air. “And…eggs? Smells delicious! Where’d you get them?”

“Well,” Sonic replied, chuckling under his breath, “there was a flicky nest right up there in the trees, so I figured I’d help myself.” Tails’ jaw dropped as he watched the blue hedgehog laugh out loud. “Relax, Tails, I was jus’ jokin’!” The orange kitsune sighed in relief. “I ran into town and bought some with your credit card.” Sonic smiled as he watched Tails pull himself out of the sleeping bag. “I also gotchu a little present.”

“Huh?” The young kitsune watched as his older brother handed him a warm, disposable, cardboard-enclosed cup. “Is this…coffee?” He grabbed hold of the cup, steam billowing out of the small hole on top of the safety lid.

“Give it a good whiff.” Sonic grinned as Tails lowered his head until his black nose was directly above the steam. Taking a sniff, the fox’s ears perked up as a new sense of life filled his tired eyes.

“Is this…mint?” Tails looked up at his older brother, the cup resting between his gloved fingers.

“Sure is buddy!” Sonic gave him a thumbs up. “Hot chocolate with Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate chip cookies to be exact.”

“Woahhh.” Tails looked down at the cup below as he licked his lips. “I gotta try some!”

“Wait, Tails!” Sonic put his hand forward. “You’ll burn yourself if you chug it down now!”

But it was too late.

“Ahhhh!” The fox dropped the hot cup as he huffed warm air out of his mouth, rubbing his tongue against the palm of his gloved hand. Diving forward, Sonic caught the cup before it had a chance to spill.

“Whew.” Sonic crawled over to his younger brother and sat next to him, the hot beverage in hand. “Crisis averted.”

“Yehth, I’th thay ,Snc,” Tails struggled the say, his burnt tongue still sticking out of his mouth.

“Here,” Sonic gave the drink back to his younger brother. “Try blowing into it next time.”

“Thanks, mother.” Tails sarcastically scoffed as he grabbed the beverage back, blowing into the small spout before taking a careful sip. “Wow, beyond the burnt flesh, this is _really_ good!”

“See! I told ya you’d like it.” The blue hedgehog smiled as he watched Tails take another sip of the delectable drink. His smile went away, however, when the orange fox set the drink down to rub his forehead with a single hand, groaning to himself.

“What happened last night?” Tails looked over at his older brother as he repeated this question once more.

“Well,” Sonic rubbed the base of his nose, “what do you remember?”

“Hmmm…” Tails itched his furry chin with a gloved finger. “I remember falling…and you taking heavy dam—” He stopped as he remembered a crucial memory.

“Sonic, your arm!” Tails turned to Sonic’s side and inspected his right arm carefully. “Is it okay? I didn’t get a chance to look at it yet.”

“Relax, kiddo,” Sonic pulled his right arm up with his left, “it’s a bit sore, but it’ll be all right.”

“And you’re all full of cuts and bruises.” Tails crawled around the blue hedgehog.

“Nothing serious at all. I’ve had worse.” Sonic shrugged his shoulders before turning his gaze back to his younger brother, only to find him gone. “Where did he run off to?” Turning around, he saw the orange kitsune fishing in the back of the Tornado and grabbing a medical kit from within.

“We can’t be too careful, Sonic.” Tails got down on his knees behind Sonic’s back before opening the white and red box. He pulled out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and poured a small amount over a cotton swab. “Now hold still…”

“Ahhh!” Sonic yelped, placing a gloved hand over his mouth as the orange kitsune cleaned the mostly dry cuts of excess dirt and debris.

“What happened after we left?” Tails asked, tossing a used swab to the side before applying a fresh coat of rubbing alcohol to a new one.

“Well…” The blue hedgehog ran a hand through his quills. “I suppose you don’t remember at all, huh?”

“Mmmhmm.” Tails nodded from behind as he cleaned away bits of gravel stuck in the hedgehog’s fur, causing Sonic to wince. 

“You were sorta…drunk.”

“Excuse me?” Tails looked over Sonic’s shoulder, inadvertently pressing a cotton swab against one of his wounds.

“Ahhhh, watch it, Tails!” The blue hedgehog pulled himself away.

“Oh, sorry.” The young kitsune pulled his hand back as well. “But did you say I was _drunk_?”

“Correct-a-mundo.” Sonic nodded as Tails looked over at him in shock.

“But I don’t drink! How did I—” The orange kitsune froze, remembering another key event from the prior night. “Ohh…I remember now.”

“What were you _thinking_ , bro?” Sonic looked at his younger sibling with a concerned look on his face.

“I dunno…” Tails stared at his sneakers with a downcast face. “I guess…I just got caught up in the moment, ya know?” Sonic pulled him in toward his side with his right arm.

“Just don’t let it hap…owwww!” The blue hedgehog pulled his arm away from the orange fox.

“Sonic?” Tails gave him a concerned look as he watched Sonic rest his arm against his knee.

“I’m…okay…” The blue hedgehog sighed to himself. “Just gotta take it easy for a bit.” He cracked a small smile at the irony, which put the young kitsune at ease. “Oh, and one more thing.” Sonic turned to his younger brother once more, massaging his sprained arm with his opposite hand. “You were kinda sounding a bit…not like yourself during that dice game.”

“You mean like a cocky, overconfident wise guy I know?” Tails cracked his own smile and placed his hands against his hips.

“Okay, _maybe_ a little bit.” Sonic raised his thumb and forefinger, pinched near one another, emphasizing the small gap between them. “I’m just…concerned is all. I’m glad you have your self-confidence back, but…” Sonic turned his face away, staring down at his worn sneakers making an imprint in the grass below. “…we don’t need to act like that to prove our heroness.” He sighed once more. “It must sound rich comin’ from a hedgehog like me, but it’s still true.”

“Sonic…” Tails looked over at him with glistening eyes before furrowing his brow. “I promise that’ll never happen again. I’ll keep my ego in check.”

“Good.” Sonic pulled himself closer to the orange fox, patting his right hand against his left leg. “You don’t have to resort to witty remarks when your brain and brawn can _easily_ defeat the bad guys.” Getting up from the log, he pulled the frying pan out of the fire, poured the lightly burnt scrambled eggs and bacon onto a plate, and handed it to the young fox.

“Now eat up, little bro...we have a big day ahead of us.”

* * *

“You sure about this, Tails?” Sonic was steering the Tornado 2 over the abandoned, stone structures deep within the mountains, which had long ago been flooded with water from destroyed dams.

“Absolutely,” Tails replied from the back seat, unbuckling his safety harness as the blue hedgehog retracted the glass casing protecting the cockpit from the whooshing wind.

“It’s not too late to take me with you.” Sonic eyed the orange kitsune through the rearview mirror.

“I’d rather you rest your arm a bit before we visit Eggman’s base, and besides,” Tails looked back at the small, orange, foxlike contraption on his shoulder, “I’ve got my old pal here watching my back, right T-Fox?” The machine blinked its large black eyes as it nodded its head, all but raring to accompany his creator on the adventure ahead.

“I’m just a hop, skip, n’ a jump away. Don’t hesitate to call!” Sonic looked over at the orange kitsune who was preparing to jump out of the cockpit. “And please…be careful.” Tails placed his hand against the plane as he met Sonic’s gaze.

“I will be okay, promise!” Tails gave his older brother a thumbs up, which the blue hedgehog returned in-kind, before jumping out of the biplane.

The young fox spread his arms and legs out as he fell. To anyone without rotary tails to aid them, this would’ve been a dangerous feat without a parachute, but to him, it was an exhilarating thrill. Indeed, he wore a smile as the air ran through his muzzle.

“It’s time.” Tails flipped himself over and began to rotate his namesakes until he hovered in the air, his back facing the ground below. Diving downward, the young kitsune landed on an ancient, stone walkway with a layer of grass growing over it. Looking around, he saw that most of the ancient ruins were full of water, but unlike last time the dynamic duo visited the zone, the only signs of Dr. Eggman were the long-abandoned scraps of metal from the Badniks they had long-since destroyed.

“Let’s get a move on, T-Fox.” The autonomous robot jumped off of its master’s shoulder as it deployed helicopter wings, which spun fast enough to keep it afloat as it followed the orange kitsune onward.

“If I recall correctly,” Tails said to himself, “this is about the place where the arrow comes out of nowhere and—” The fox froze as his eared pricked up. Diving forward, he covered his head as a silver arrow whizzed passed his head.

“You okay, T-Fox?” Tails peered up at the helicopter robot above, whose evasive maneuver was to fly up to dodge the projectile. T-Fox made some _beep boop_ sounds in response, all but signaling that it was unharmed. “All right,” Tails pulled himself up and dusted his chest and legs off, “let’s get a move on!” The robot replied with additional _boops_ as the two flew over a dilapidated bridge using their helicopter appendages.

Landing on the other side, the orange kitsune projected his Chaos Emerald tracking software over his watch.

“Let’s see…if the reading is correct, the gem should be deep below our current position.” Taking a few additional steps, the fox peered down at a pool of water. “It’s too deep to trust air bubbles for oxygen.” Tails looked up at his mechanical companion. “Ready to do your thing?”

With a few final boops, the robot landed in the water as it underwent a transformation, folding itself outward and autonomously reconfiguring its components until T-Fox became a small, one-seated submarine.

“Woah, this brings back memories.” As Tails took his seat in the submarine, he shook his head to clear his mind of the events surrounding the last time he used T-Fox’s subterranean capabilities. “No…now is not the time,” he said to himself solemnly. Pressing a few buttons, pulling some levers, and twisting some knobs, Tails closed the hatch so he was fully protected by the submarine’s outer shell.

“Ready to go, Sea Fox?” Tails asked. The submarine _beeped_ and _booped_ some more, giving its master the green light.

“Time to dive!” Pressing one final red button, Tails descended into the waters below, turning on the headlights as the sunlight slowly began to disappear. Looking down at his watch, he pressed a few buttons to transmit the Chaos Emerald coordinates to the on-board sonar screen. “Gotta go deeper now…” The young fox continued his descent until the natural light was hardly visible. Small bits of stone clouded the way, but the sonar was able to detect when large objects were ahead, making the journey relatively safe.

Taking a steady course, Tails allowed his mind to wonder as he slowly grew closer to his destination.

“Last night was almost perfect. I took charge and outwitted the mayor…why did I have to make such a dumb mistake?” The fox grimaced as he remembered the tingle of the hard apple cider in his throat. “If it weren’t for Sonic, we’d have been toast. I’m _such_ an idiot.” The fox banged his fist against the steering wheel as a single teardrop ran down his muzzle.

“zzzz…no you’re not…zzzz.”

Tails gasped as he looked down at the wristwatch communicator below.

“…Sonic?”

“zzz…’e one ‘n on…zzz.” Tails slapped his palm against his face as he realized what happened.

“I must’ve left the communicator on.”

“zzz…or butt dialed!” Tails chuckled under his breath.

“It’s okay, Tailzzzz…” Sonic said on the other end of the line. “Nobody’s zzzzzfect, we all zzzzistakezzzz…”

“Thanks, Sonic.” Tails wore a smile as he allowed the comforting words of his older brother to help him feel better.

“That’s….’mzzzzzfor.”

“I’m breaking up, Sonic. I’ll call you when I’m ready for pick-up.”

“Rogzzzz…” Tails disconnected the call and set his attention back to the path ahead, glancing between the dusty water and the blinking sonar screen in the central console.

“What’s this?” Tails discovered a small cave wide enough for the Sea Fox to fit through. Peering down at the sonar screen, he concluded that this was a direct path to the gem. Furrowing his brow, Tails proceeded through the underwater passage, steering carefully to prevent any collisions with the rocky sides.

“This is _really_ cool.” Tails looked ahead in wonder as fish of various shapes and sizes swam out of the way of the incoming submarine. “I wonder if anyone has ever been down here before?”

The orange kitsune didn’t have much time to ponder, however, as he noticed a glimmer coming from above. Steering the Sea Fox upward, Tails concluded that he was directly below a pocket of air within the underwater tunnel. Floating up, the submarine rested along the surface of the water, its headlights giving the young fox a view of the spacious, dry cavern.

“You don’t see _this_ every day.” Pushing a button on his dashboard, the hatch opened, allowing him to crawl out of the submarine. Paddling the Sea Fox with his gloved hands, he docked the submarine against a hard, relatively flat, dry surface and hopped off.

Looking around, he saw the source of the glimmering light: a pedestal sitting alone several yards away with the cyan Chaos Emerald resting on top.

“Odd…” Tails stepped forward, peering at the gem in front of him. He pulled out the green gem from his utility belt and watched as the two shone brighter, mystically interacting. “The emeralds scatter after their combined use, but how could it have ended up here?” Putting the green emerald back in his belt, Tails carefully studied the pedestal beneath the cyan gem.

“This one looks awfully familiar to the one Rockefeller had back in his office.” Tails scratched his furry chin before raising his wrist. “Gotta perform a scan.” Pressing a few buttons on his watch, he pulled up a schematic of the pedestal. “Just as I thought.” The prodigious kitsune studied the diagram, which was nearly identical to the one in the Casino Night Zone, except there was a mechanism built into the ground that would push the pedestal downward instead of into a nearby wall. The only other major difference was that a glass case wasn’t protecting the gem, but a scale was built in near the top which seemingly would trigger the pedestal’s inner mechanisms if it detected a change in weight.

“I gotta act carefully here…” Tails looked around the cave until he found a rock roughly the same shape as a Chaos Emerald. Picking it up with one hand, and pulling out the green gem with the other, he compared the weight of the two closely. “Okay, I think this will do. Eggman’s scale can’t be _that_ precise.”

Approaching the pedestal once more, and placing the green gem back in his utility belt, the young kitsune carefully studied the cyan Chaos Emerald, which was nearly within his grasp. Sweat rolled down his forehead as his left hand edged closer to the prize, his right hand approaching closer as well. Stopping for a good 20 seconds, Tails took a deep breath and held it in as he rapidly swiped the Chaos Emerald and replaced it with the rock.

Tails stepped back a few paces and froze.

Nothing.

He waited several more seconds, perking his ears for the slightest disturbance.

Still nothing.

“Phew…” Depositing the cyan gem into his pocket, the orange fox wiped his brow once more before turning back to the Sea Fox.

“Hello there, you insolent worm!”

“Huh?” Tails looked around, but he was unable to pinpoint the source of the voice. “Eggman? Is that you?” Tails’ eyes wandered around the spacious cave for evidence of the rotund mastermind.

“Who else do you think it is, you dolt!” Eggman yelled, his loud voice echoing throughout the cavern. “I see you were able to take down my mayoral henchman _and_ thwart my security protocol. I’d expect nothing less, you miserable vermin!”

“You’ve lost, Eggman!” Tails replied. “We’ll get Cream back home safe and sound.” He furrowed his brow and clenched his fists, recalling the footage of Cream’s capture Bokkun had shown the party back on Angel Island.

“And even _if_ you managed to track down the remaining emeralds, is Cream’s safety _really_ worth your ultimate adversary’s rule over Mobius? Wooahhooohoohooo!” Robotnik’s laugh bellowed out of the hidden speaker.

“We’ll find a way to stop you! We _always_ do…” Tails stepped forward once more, heading back to his submarine.

“Leaving so soon?” Tails heard a click from afar before red blinking lights filled the cave. “In a few seconds, you’ll be blown to bits!”

“But you still need the Chaos Emeralds!” Tails retorted, planting his feet against the ground as he eyes scanned the cavernous walls. He found the explosives planted against the rocky sides of the cave, dastardly disguised to appear nearly identical to the natural walls.

“It’ll be child’s play peeling them from your waterlogged corpse.” Eggman laughed once more. “Good-bye, Tails! It was terrible knowing you! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

Eggman went silent.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit…” Tails dove into the submarine, not bothering to latch his safety harness. He turned it back on and rapidly spun himself around as he dove back into the water.

“Come on, come on…” Tails gritted his teeth as he maneuvered the Sea Fox as fast as he could. Hearing an explosion from behind, Tails could feel the tunnel rapidly caving in, rock pebbles falling over the Sea Fox as he sped toward the exit.

“Almost…there…” The fox screamed as the submarine barreled out of the cave mere seconds before its entrance was closed off by falling boulders.

“Whew…” Tails halted the Sea Fox and wiped his brow once more. Sighing heavily, he reached into his utility belt and grabbed the green and cyan gems with either hand. He watched as the mystical emeralds shone brightly in his palms, illuminating the small cockpit of the submarine. The energy radiating from the Chaos Emeralds filled Tails with a renewed sense of vigor and determination.

Putting the gems away once more, the young kitsune activated his wristwatch communicator.

“Sonic, come in. This is Tails.”

“…zzzs’ it goin’, budzzz…”

“I have recovered the Chaos Emerald and am requesting evac.”

“zzzzd’ job, Taizzzzou soon!”

“Roger.” Tails disconnected the call and placed his hands back on the steering apparatus.

_We’ll get you back, Cream._

_Just hold on a little longer._

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed chapter 15! Expect chapter 16 no later than Wednesday, November 4, 2020.**

**Meanwhile, chapter 4 of[ _Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26289658)will be posted no later than Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Visit my [FanFiction.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/~andtails) profile to see my most up-to-date posting schedule. **


	16. Lava Mountain

The Sea Fox slowly ascended from the depths of the Aquatic Ruins Zone, the sun above reflecting off the glass casing protecting Tails from the elements. The young kitsune allowed his eyes to adjust to the natural light before opening the hatch. Pulling himself out of the vessel, he rested on top, using his arms for balance as he took in the fresh mountain air all around him.

Closing his eyes, he basked in the sun, allowing weariness to take hold as he shut his eyes, unaware of the biplane flying high above.

Landing the Tornado nearby, Sonic approached the steep stone shore, looking at the vessel from afar.

“Hey Tails!” Sonic shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. “I’m here to pick ya up! You okay?” He heard nothing, but he was able to make out the orange fox sleeping peacefully on top of the Sea Fox, appearing perfectly healthy. 

“Hmmm…” The blue hedgehog itched a gloved finger under his chin as he looked around. Noticing a rock the size of a Chaos Emerald, Sonic smirked as he kicked it across the water, splashing a few meters away from the submarine. The blue hedgehog pumped his fist in accomplishment as he saw his young brother wake from his nap.

“Hey, buddy!” Sonic yelled, waving his hand. “Over here!”

“Huh?” Tails rubbed his eyes before looking around the perimeter, trying to identify the source of the shouting. “…Sonic?” Using a hand to cover his eyes from the sunlight, the young kitsune spotted his older brother waving at him from dry land.

“Sonic!” Tails got up and pulled the cyan gem out of his utility belt, waving it for the blue hedgehog to see. He could make out his older brother giving a celebratory breakdance from afar, causing him to chuckle as he slipped the emerald back into his belt, dropped down to his knees, and paddled back to shore with his arms.

“You did good, Tails!” Sonic exclaimed as he pulled his younger brother out of the vessel.

“Oh, it wasn’t a big deal…” Tails looked away, a smile on his face as he gently blushed and rubbed the back of his head with his hand.

“You encounter any trouble down there?” Sonic asked, rubbing the base of his nose before folding his arms.

“Not really…” Tails looked away once more, not sure how to describe his narrow escape.

“Not _really_?” Sonic sat down along the stone drop off, plunging his feet into the water. He patted the ground to his left, beckoning Tails to join him.

“Your feet are getting wet though.” Tails approached the blue hedgehog by the side as he slowly lowered himself to the ground. 

“Relax, bud. These are _waterproof_ , remember? Designed by the _smartest_ guy I know.”

“Well, I suppose…” Itching the back of his head once more, he chuckled under his breath as he took a seat next to his brotherly companion, allowing his sneakers to dangle below the water’s surface alongside Sonic’s shoes. 

“So tell me about your _riveting_ adventure.” Sonic smiled as he placed his arm around Tails’ shoulder, pulling him in closer.

“Well,” Tails began, “I came across an underwater tunnel with a breathable, spacious cavern. The cyan emerald was just sitting in there on a pedestal nearly identical to the one Rockefeller owned.”

“You don’t say.” Sonic nodded his head a few times as he put two and two together. “It was Eggman, wasn’t it?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Tails gestured his hand forward. The two chuckled before the orange fox continued his story. He explained how he was able to thwart the evil doctor’s pedestal weight mechanism, spoke with Eggman through a communications system installed in the tunnel, and escaped within seconds of his life after Robotnik set off his explosives. 

Sonic whistled as he patted the fox’s shoulder.

“Looks like you got out of there without a scratch, huh?”

“I did,” Tails replied as he looked over at the docked submarine nearby, “but the same can’t be said for the Sea Fox.” Gesturing toward the vessel, Sonic observed the small paint scratches and minor dings from the rocks that fell over it during their perilous escape.

“I’m sure ya can buff it out later, and besides,” Sonic turned around, “the only thing that _really_ matters is that you’re safe and sound.” The blue hedgehog smiled at his younger brother, who returned it with a grin of his own and a thumbs up.

“I learned from the best.” Tails pulled his soggy feet from the water and extended an arm out, allowing Sonic to grab hold before pulling him up.

“How’s your arm doing, Sonic?” Tails glanced at the blue hedgehog’s sprained right arm.

“Ya know, I think it’s gettin’ better.” Sonic moved it about as he massaged his shoulder. “Still kinda sore, but I’ll manage.”

“Maybe you should sit out the next one,” Tails suggested as he approached his submarine. Giving a short vocal command, the Sea Fox transformed back into T-Fox, retracted its helicopter-like wings, and hovered in place above the water.

“Nah, I think I’m good. I’m sure Eggman won’t have anything too worrisome up his sleeve, and besides,” Sonic peered down at his little brother and rustled his hair, “I wanna protect ya, even if my arm isn’t at a hundred percent.”

Sighing to himself, the orange kitsune knew it was useless to try convincing Sonic otherwise.

“Let’s go, T-Fox.” Tails gestured his arm forward, commanding his robotic creation to follow the brotherly duo as they made their way back to the Tornado 2.

* * *

“Ouch!”

Bokkun dropped his ladle in a pot of bubbling soup. Cleaning the broth splashed across his arm, he sighed before returning to work.

“Bokkun!”

The small messenger robot spun around on the tall barstool and faced Eggman, who had leaned over to inspect the food boiling on the stovetop. Nodding slightly as if in approval, he stepped back and faced the kitchen door once more.

“I expect my dinner in five minutes. If I don’t get nourishment soon, I’ll run out of steam! And a man of such intelligence as myself needs as much fuel as he can hold to keep his brain going.” The doctor walked out, having repeated an iteration of the same speech he always gave whenever he was feeling particularly hungry.

“I know _exactly_ where you can shove your brain…” he muttered to himself.

“What was that?” Eggman peeked his head back into the kitchen.

“Ohhh, ummm…” Bokkun raised a single hand behind his head. “I said ‘dinner is almost ready, sir’.” Sweat rolled down his face as the evil doctor eyed him suspiciously.

“ _That’s_ more like it.” Eggman turned to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of soda from within. “Oh, and don’t forget to feed that rabbit and her _miserable_ pet.” Kicking the fridge door from behind, he returned to his command center.

Sighing to himself once more, Bokkun grabbed the ladle and mixed the concoction. Taking a whiff, he filled two bowls, placed a spoon in them, set the soup on a tray, and walked out of the kitchen with the meals.

“Guess I should get this over with.” Looking down at the soup with a downcast face, he slowly walked toward the staircase leading to the holding chambers. In his daze, he imagined the bits of meat, noodles, and vegetables forming the shape of a small, cute bunny not unlike Cream the Rabbit. Blushing to himself, he shook his head, returning to reality.

“Face it, Bokkun,” he said as he walked down the stairs, carefully holding the tray in his hands, “Eggman will _always_ come first. Always has. Always will…” Setting the tray down after reaching the base of the steps, he used his jetpack to fly up to the nearby door handle, turning it as he opened the door to reveal a narrow path of holding chambers. Grabbing the food once more, he walked to Cream’s cell and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Cream stood up from her bed and pressed a flappy ear against her side of the door.

“It’s…me…” Bokkun unlocked the door, his face blushing red. The bunny opened it moments after hearing the click of the locking mechanism.

“Well if it isn’t Bokkun!” She smiled as she let her guest into the small cell. 

“I…have your dinner…” The messenger robot raised the tray. Curiously peering down at the contents, Cream took a whiff.

“Smells delicious!” She said in a cheerful voice. “Here, you can set it down on the bed here.”

“Okay…” Bokkun carefully stepped into the bunny’s holding chamber and did as he was instructed. Cream reached for her bowl but quickly pulled her hands away.

“Careful!” Bokkun exclaimed as he dove forward, grabbed Cream’s arms, and inspected her hands. “You okay? Did you get hurt?”

“Oh…” Cream looked down at Bokkun’s hands with a flushed face. “I’m okay…the gloves kept my hands safe.”

“Okay…” Bokkun pulled his hand away and rubbed the back of his head. The two stared awkwardly toward opposite corners of the room.

“I should probably get going. Eggman expects his soup on the double.”

“Wait!” Cream exclaimed before patting the bedside. “Sit for a minute. It’ll be nice to talk to someone besides Cheese for a change.” Cream looked over at the chao, who sat next to her on the bed with a furrowed brow and arms folded, not amused by their master’s words. “Sorry, Cheese.” She chuckled nervously with her eyes closed.

“I suppose I have a minute or two…” Bokkun replied nervously as Cream reached for her bowl once more, this time cool enough to be held. She blew into the broth and took a bite.

“Woah, this is _really_ good! You make this yourself?” Cream’s face radiated with a warm smile.

“Well, I just followed the instructions on the can.” Bokkun blushed as he placed a hand behind his head. 

“I miss my momma’s cooking, though.” The young bunny set her spoon down and looked at her reflection in the broth below. “She makes the best roasts, and stews, and cookies, and—”

“Did you say cookies?” Bokkun looked at her with wide, glistening, beady eyes.

“And not just cookies,” Cream continued, spinning the soup around with her spoon. “She also makes muffins, cakes, and her specialty...” the young bunny looked into Bokkun’s eyes with a small grin. “pies.”

“Pies?” The messenger robot’s tongue flopped out of his mouth.

“Yep!” Cream replied, cracking a smile. “And with _your_ help, we could go home and have some. I’m sure my mom would be _thrilled_ to meet my new boyfriend.”

“B…b…boy…friend?” Bokkun was frozen, unable to fathom Cream’s words.

“Of course! You like me, right?” The rabbit placed her palm against the robot’s hand.

“Ummmm…” Bokkun was speechless, looking away from the bunny as sweat dripped from his forehead. “Y…yes…”

“And you want to meet my mother and try her pie?”

“…Y…yes.” The messenger robot slowly nodded his head.

“Then let’s go!” Jumping off the bed, allowing her soup bowl to crash against the hard floor, Cream placed Cheese on her shoulder with one hand and grabbed Bokkun by the other as she ran out of the holding chamber.

“Wait!” Bokkun yelled, reluctantly moving his feet so he wouldn’t be dragged off. “We shouldn’t be doing this! We’ll get in trouble.”

“Don’t you want to be rid of Eggman for good?” the energized bunny asked, keeping her attention on the corridor ahead of her as she ran up the stairs.

“I…” Bokkun began. “I…don’t know…”

“What do you mean ‘you don’t know’?” Cream turned a corner as the trio left the stairwell.

“I just…don’t…” Tears began to well up in Bokkun’s beady eyes. “I…” Wiping away the moisture with his free hand, he furrowed his brow before running past Cream, this time pulling her from the front. “I know the quickest way out. Just follow my lead.”

Cream’s mouth fell agape, surprised at Bokkun’s sudden reversal. Releasing her hand from his grip, she ran alongside him, winking as she gave a thumbs up.

Climbing down several flights of stairs, narrowly avoiding congregated groups of loitering Egg Pawns, and bypassing security cameras the henchman knew by heart, the two made their way to the entrance of the base. Approaching a small keyboard near the set of front doors, Bokkun input a complex passphrase.

“Now we can escape without worrying about security!” the robot said, facing the direction of the doors.

“Good job, Bokkun!”

“Ahhh, it was nothin’ really…” He blushed once more before shaking himself out of it. “But we gotta go. Eggman will be looking for me any minute, and he’s _especially_ furious when he’s hungry.”

Nodding her head, the bunny followed Bokkun out of the base, running past various mechs which patrolled the perimeter but didn’t bother attacking. Reaching the outer gate, Bokkun pulled Cream in close from behind.

“Bokkun, what’re you—” She was cut off as the robot activated his jetpack, propelling the two over the gate. Bokkun gently released his grip against the bunny once they were safely on the other side. 

“Are you okay, Cream?”

“That was neat!” A smile covered her muzzle once more. “We should do that again!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from her shoulder.

“Yeah!” Bokkun looked back at Eggman’s headquarters before turning his attention back to the young bunny. “But we should get far away from here first. Don’t wanna be spotted in the sky by Eggman’s cameras.” As the two made their way through the thick trees surrounding the perimeter, Cream blushed as her mind wondered, eventually stopping in her tracks. 

_Maybe I_ am _falling for him after all?_

“You coming?” Bokkun turned around to see Cream staring off into space.

“Ohh.” The young rabbit shook her head to clear her mind. “Yes.” Sighing, she jogged toward the messenger robot, walking alongside before she clasped her hand between his own as they widened the gap between themselves and Robotnik’s base. 

* * *

The early afternoon sun was high in the sky, providing warmth to the animal inhabitants of Angel Island as a light breeze filled the air with the natural smells of the outdoors.

Breathing in deeply, followed by a long sigh, Knuckles laid on top of the Master Emerald overlooking his cabin. With one leg crossed over the other, and his hands serving as a pillow, the red echidna absorbed the sun’s rays as he peacefully took time to relax.

_Snap._

Knuckles’ eyes shot open as he swiftly pulled himself up and peered down at the trees surrounding the shrine. Jumping off the large gem, he looked closely to find a squirrel running across a tree branch. Circling the area around the shrine, he found no intruders.

“I need to chill…” Sighing to himself, the red echidna leaned against the Master Emerald, looking off into the distance, observing the clearing surrounding his cabin and the waters below the edge of the floating island. “I have no reason to believe Eggman’s after the Master Emerald, and Rouge seems to be playin’ nice…for now…” Knuckles kicked a small pebble down the stone staircase. “I guess I should be thinking about what to do about that _date_ …maybe I should ask Amy if I need to bring a gift? Gahhh, I’d rather be a hermit talking to a large gemstone than thinking ‘bout _girls_ …”

Sitting himself down next to the mystical emerald, Knuckles folded his legs and placed his arms against his sides as he began to rhythmically breathe.

“Maybe some meditation will help me clear my mind…”

Sighing once more, he hummed as he froze his arms, allowing all the tension to evaporate from his chest as he kept his back straight and eyes closed. All his worries dissolved as he took in the crisp air. Thoughts of Eggman, Rouge, the missing Chaos Emeralds, Sonic and Tails, the date, and everything else left his mind as the Master Emerald began to soothe him.

_Ring ring! Ring ring! Ring ring!_

A vein grew along the red echidna’s forehead as his eyelid twitched, attempting to ignore the communicator buzzing against his wrist. It ceased after a few more rings, allowing Knuckles to return to his meditation. Moments later, it rang again. He groaned to himself as he lifted his wrist and pressed a few buttons on the communicator, prompting it to project an image of the orange kitsune. 

“What is it, Tails?” Knuckles was particularly terse. 

“Thank goodness you answered!” Tails looked at the camera lens built into the dashboard of the biplane. “Sonic and I are on our way to the Lava Reef Zone, and we wanted to ask for your help.”

“Well sure. What’s your ETA?”

“Five minutes.” Tails itched the base of his nose with one hand while grasping the yoke with the other.

“I’ll be ready.” Knuckles abruptly ended the call. He stretched his arms and legs before gliding off the shrine, heading toward the bonfire site near the island’s edge, waiting for the Tornado to fly on by.

* * *

“Hey Sonic,” Tails asked through his intercom, which transmitted his voice to the blue hedgehog balancing on the leftmost wing.

“Yeah, little buddy?” Sonic turned his attention to the cockpit, the air whooshing through his quills as he used his arms to maintain balance.

“If Lava Reef Zone is located on Angel Island, why didn’t we just go there _first_?” Blankly staring back at his younger brother, he simply shrugged his shoulders.

“Beats me, _you’re_ the cap’n.” Tails chuckled, realizing he was the one who charted the path to Casino Night Zone in the first place.

“Well, at least now we know what to expect: some sort of booby-trap with the emerald sitting there as bait.” Tails raised a gloved hand to his chin, keeping his other hand on the yoke. “Knuckles isn’t gonna be happy an Eggman robot infiltrated his island undetected.” 

“Maybe we just…don’t tell him?” Sonic emulated the orange kitsune, raising a gloved hand to his muzzle as well.

“I dunno…” Tails’ face tensed up. “I don’t like keeping secrets.”

“Just think of it as a way to lower his stress.” Sonic gave the young fox a thumbs up. After thinking it over, Tails nodded his head and returned the gesture. “In speaking of Knuckles…” The blue hedgehog pointed toward the floating island. “Looks like we’re almost there…and I think I see Knuckles! He’s giving us a…thumbs down? What does _that_ mean?” Sonic gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

“I think it means he wants us to lower our altitude so he can jump on.”

“Ohh…that makes sense.” Sonic relaxed his muscles as he realized the gesture wasn’t a challenge. “The _last_ thing I need now is gettin’ on Knucklehead’s bad side.” Sonic rotated his right arm, wincing slightly as he held it up with his left.

“Lowering altitude now…” The fox pushed the yoke forward slightly, angling the biplane so it would fly below Angel Island by the time they reached the edge. “Looks like we’ll be having one extra passenger!”

“Ah yeah, now _this_ is happenin!” Sonic exclaimed as Tails got the plane in position. With impeccable timing, the party spotted Knuckles gliding toward them just as the young kitsune leveled off the plane. Keeping the Tornado steady, Tails flew in a straight line parallel to Knuckle’s descending path. 

Grabbing hold of the rightmost wing, Knuckles flipped himself around and pulled himself up, pinwheeling his arms to keep his balance before turning to Tails in the cockpit and Sonic on the opposite wing.

“Afternoon, fellas. Looks like you’re in need of an _expert_ treasure hunter.” The red echidna grinned.

“Indeed!” Tails winked from the pilot’s seat as Sonic gave him a thumbs up. “Angel Island’s pretty big, so I’m not sure the best place to land. Mind guiding us?” Tails swooped the Tornado around and flew over the floating island.

“Sure thing.” Knuckles crossed his arms and observed the trees surrounding the large volcano near the center. “There are some flatlands just to the north.” Tails nodded as he furrowed his brow and began the biplane’s descent. As Knuckles indicated, a strip of land was available to the young kitsune to land. Taking advantage, he lowered the landing gear and meticulously grounded the aircraft, allowing it to roll to a stop.

“All right, Knuckles,” Sonic said as the gang dropped to the grass below, “what’s the best way in?”

“If you’d like to skip the old mining tunnels, we can just enter through the volcano’s mouth.”

“Sounds scary,” Tails replied, looking up at the mountainous structure with a shiver.

“No need to worry,” Knuckles assured, patting the young fox’s shoulder, “the volcano hasn’t been active since Eggman occupied it.” 

“Whew.” Tails sighed, wiping his brow. “Well, if the quickest way is through the mouth, then let’s fly!”

“Ah yeah, _now_ we’re talkin’!” Sonic gave his younger brother a fist bump as the orange kitsune began spinning his namesakes, hovering above the ground shortly after.

“Wait…what’s goin’ on?” Knuckles asked, looking at the brotherly duo in confusion.

“You down for tryin’ a new formation, Knucklehead?” Sonic asked as he clasped Tails’ legs. The young fox ascended higher, allowing the blue hedgehog to dangle several feet from the ground.

“Ah, I get it.” Knuckles completed the chain, hanging from Sonic’s legs as Tails carried the weight of his two friends toward the mouth of the volcano. The burden forced Tails to travel at a slow pace, using the gentle breeze to help aid his ascension, eventually reaching the volcano’s rim. He slowly approached the earthy, rocky surface, allowing Knuckles to plant his feet on the rim before swerving a few meters to his left, depositing Sonic before eventually dropping himself.

“You…need to…lay off…the chili dogs…Sonic…” Tails cracked a smirk as Sonic’s face twisted in faux offense.

“Maybe if you’d stop buyin’ the fixins at the store, I wouldn’t be such a big _chonker_.” Sonic patted his belly, emphasizing his gut as the party erupted in laughter.

Knuckles peered down the volcano’s mouth with his arms folded. Kicking a small pebble into the hole, they waited several moments before eventually hearing the sound of the rock crashing against a hard surface at the bottom. Sonic whistled as he placed his hands against his hips.

“That sure is one big fall.” Sonic looked over at the red echidna. “We’re followin’ your lead.”

“All right, here’s the plan.” The three huddled in, crossing their arms over their shoulders like football players. “I’ll climb down with my knuckles while you two float down as a pair. Sound good?”

“Roger,” Sonic and Tails replied simultaneously. The three fist bumped before breaking away, peering down the volcanic mouth once more.

“I never realized just how much of a number Eggman did to the volcano.” Looking more closely, Sonic observed the crumbling inner-ring of the volcano, damaged by the Death Egg as it fell from space during one of their prior adventures. Indeed, from an aerial view, the volcano’s mouth was significantly wider than it would’ve been naturally.

“Given the force, I’m surprised the volcano is still standing.” Tails nodded as he flew up once more, grabbing Sonic’s gloved hands and descending into the volcano. Knuckles followed, sliding down with a single fist against the side.

Clearing the vent, the brotherly duo watched in wonder as the walls of the Lava Reef Zone glowed purple, aided by the flickering, molten magma bubbling at the bottom below several artificial, metal platforms, a remnant left over from Robotnik’s brief stay. Hovering between long stalagmites dotting the cavernous ceiling, they descended to the floor below, Sonic’s shoes clanging against the turquoise platform as he let go of Tails’ legs, allowing him to land alongside. The red echidna soon joined them, brushing the pebbles caking his knuckles against his arms.

“What’s the detector say ‘bout the emerald, Tails?” Sonic asked, itching the base of his noes as the orange kitsune raised his wrist near his face and pressed a few buttons. A projection of the detector application hovered over his watch, allowing the party to see the blinking dot a short distance away from their current location.

“According to my calculations,” Tails replied, looking at the image closely, “the gem should be right up these stairs.” Pointing toward the path ahead, the party observed the metal platforms gradually forming into steps. “And it should be infinitely safer than the last time we were here.”

“Unless Eggman pulls another stunt,” Sonic replied, planting a gloved fist against the palm of his other hand.

“What stunt?” Knuckles asked, looking toward the brotherly duo.

“Well, you see…” Tails shifted his legs as he placed a hand behind his back, “Eggman already had the first two missing emeralds and tried to bait us with them.”

“The first one was tryin’ to get us to lose a gambling bet,” Sonic continued, “and the second nearly sank Tails in the Aquatic Ruins Zone.”

“I see,” Knuckles replied, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes. “So that must mean…” Growing quiet to connect two and two together, his eyes shot open as a blood vessel protruded along the side of his forehead. “EGGMAN! YOU’RE NOT GONNA GET AWAY WITH INFILTRATING _MY_ ISLAND, YOU F…”

“Wait!” the brothers yelled, grabbing the red echidna before he could march up the turquoise stairs.

“We need to approach the emerald with a clear head, Knucklehead,” Sonic said, restraining him from his left.

“Sonic’s right, Knuckles,” Tails said from his right. “If it’s anything like the first two, we need to tread _carefully_.”

Eventually calming down, the red echidna loosened his arms and sighed as his two companions let go.

“Either way, he is going to regret ever stepping foot on _my_ island. Come on, guys.” Knuckles furrowed his brow as he waved his hand forward, beckoning Sonic and Tails to follow him up the stairs. Climbing the platforms, they came to a flat metallic clearing with a pedestal sitting at the center. Magma bubbled below as the walls glowed a deeper shade of purple.

“Just as we thought,” Tails said, stepping forward to observe the yellow Chaos Emerald protected by a glass casing. Unlike the other ones, however, this pedestal had a keyboard and a digital password screen blinking above it. “Ah, this one should be a cinch!” Scanning the pedestal, he observed its internal schematics, revealing nothing of interest save for the computer components that comprised the locking system. Pressing a few more buttons, a set of digits appeared over the diagram.

“Okay…” Tails stepped toward the keyboard. “Eggm@nisPo$itivelyperilouzz.” Clicking the confirmation key, the screen turned green as the glass casing opened, allowing him to pluck the gem out from within.

“Hmmm…” Sonic rubbed his chin. “This almost seems _too_ easy.”

“Right you are, you little blue swine!”

The trio turned their heads, looking around the room for the source of the voice.

“I’m right here, you fools!” Looking up, they saw a television descend from above, hovering over them with miniature helicopter wing-like apparatuses. “You may’ve cracked my passphrase, but don’t expect to leave the Lave Reef Zone alive!”

“Oh yeah?” Sonic asked, placing his hands on his hips. “If you’re so confident, why don’t you face us mono y mono? Or are you jus’ gonna hide at that little base of yours with a little kid as your hostage?”

“You think you’re such a wise guy, don’t you, rodent?” Eggman stroked his orange moustache. “But I’m late for lunch, so we can either continue throwing insults at each other, or you can meet your doom quickly so I can satiate my appetite.” He laughed maniacally as he showed the party a remote controller. “Now all I got to do is push this button…” Robotnik proceeded to press down on the red, circular trigger. Seconds later, the metallic plates under the party began to shake as the magma below started bubbling violently. “In a few moments, you’ll be burned to a crisp, and don’t even _think_ about escaping from the volcano’s mouth. Ta-ta!” The screen of the television went black as it crashed to the floor.

“If we don’t escape now, we won’t make it!” Tails exclaimed. “C’mon, grab my legs so we can fly outta—” His order was interrupted by the sound of shaking up above. The party looked up to find the mouth of the volcano closing in, a circular metal door obstructing their only feasible exit.

“Well there goes _that_ plan,” Sonic complained, waving his hands forward. “Our last bet is cutting through the old mining entrance.”

“Wait.” Sonic and Tails froze in place as Knuckles’ voice halted them in their tracks. “I have a plan. Just…sit down.”

“Sit _down_?” Sonic asked. “Are you in _sane_?”

“Just trust me, I know what I’m doing.” Knuckles sighed as he sat himself down, crossed his legs, raised his arms slightly above his lap, and began to hum. The brotherly duo nervously sat on either side of the red echidna, watching as he called forth a mystical aura, a green mist forming around him.

“The severs are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power…power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos.” His expressionless eyes glowed as the aura swirled around him.

“Master Emerald, I call upon you to calm the volcano’s wrath spurred on by an evil foreign invader. Please, help us save the Lava Reef Zone and the animals who call your island their home. You’re the only one who can help us now!”

The aura faded from the red echidna as the magma receded, the bubbles simmering down as the temperature returned from scorching to just regular hot. Placing his hands against his knees, Knuckles caught his breath as sweat rolled down his face.

“You did it, Knuckles!” Tails exclaimed, approaching the red echidna along with his hedgehog brother. “You saved us!” Reaching a hand down, Knuckles cracked a small grin as he grabbed hold, allowing the orange kitsune to pull him up.

“Too bad the Master Emerald couldn’t open the door, too,” Sonic said, pointing up at the artificial metal structure keeping the mouth closed. 

“The Master Emerald just saved your life!” Knuckles yelled, losing his temper once more. “For someone who relies on the Chaos Emeralds more than anyone else, you _sure_ don’t seem to respect them!”

“Woah, cool your jets there, Knux,” Sonic raised his hands, “I was jus’ jokin’ ‘round is all.”

“You can apologize to the Master Emerald when we get back.” Huffing as he turned away from the blue hedgehog, he began walking to the metal stairs leading downward. “C’mon, we have a long trek through the mining tunnels.” Sonic turned to Tails and shrugged before following the red echidna.

Looking down at the yellow Chaos Emerald in his hand, the young kitsune felt its mystical energy pulsing through his palm. Staring at it intently, he nodded his head as he deposited it into his utility belt, storing it snuggly next to the other three gems: the green emerald Rouge stole from Eggman’s base, the blue gem from the Casino Night Zone, and the cyan stone from the Aquatic Ruins Zone. Zipping the compartment, he spun his namesakes as he flew forward to catch up to the blue hedgehog and the red echidna already heading for the exit.

* * *

“Gahhh!” Eggman slammed his fist against his control panel. “Why must those vermin _always_ thwart my perfectly devious plans?!” Collecting himself, he ran a gloved hand through his orange moustache. “No matter…they’ve saved me the trouble of re-collecting the emeralds…once they’ve brought them to me, they’ll _cower_ at my ultimate power! Wooahhooohoohooo!” His bellowing laughter was disrupted by the sound of gurgling from his rotund belly.

“Where is my lunch? Bokkun should’ve brought it to me _minutes_ ago!” Toggling through security camera feeds, he found the kitchen empty, as were the various hallways comprising the headquarters. Reaching the feed from his holding chamber, he found Cream’s door wide open. Clicking through once more, he grew visibly angry at the sight of the little bunny’s empty cell.

“Confound that Bokkun! Can’t he do _anything_ right?” Toggling through the rest of the feeds, he found the small messenger robot holding the young bunny against his chest as they flew across the outer fence.

“WHAAAAT!?!?” Slamming his fists against the dashboard once more, he yelled for his two robot servants.

“You called, Eggman?” Decoe asked.

“What is your command?” Bocoe added, standing next to his metallic brother.

“Bokkun has double-crossed me! He’s escaping with Cream as we speak.” Robotnik picked up a small cellphone-sized tablet from his dashboard. “Here.” He threw it toward the two robots. Each grabbed for it, but they simultaneously fumbled the device, only managing to catch it together after slipping through their metallic hands several times. “Bokkun’s probably too dumb to remember that I’ve installed a tracking chip into each of my robotic creations, so no matter where he goes, I’ll be able to follow…” Eggman pointed toward Decoe and Bocoe. “Or should I say _you_ will follow.”

“Aye aye!” The two cried, saluting their creator before running out the room.

Eggman sighed as they left the room, leaning back against his chair as his stomach continued gurgling. Taking a gulp of his soda, he pulled up a pizza delivery website from his dashboard computer.

“I wasn’t in the mood for stew anyway.”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 16! Chapter 17 will be uploaded no later than Wednesday, November 18, 2020.**

**Meanwhile, chapter 5 of my other ongoing story,[ _Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26289658), will be updated no later than Wednesday, November 11, 2020.**


	17. Gotta Fly Higher

Spinning a cup of Mobian Scout™ mint-flavored hot chocolate with a spoon, Tails sat next to Sonic on the sofa at their Mystic Ruins home, conferencing in with Knuckles, Rouge, and Amy through the orange kitsune’s laptop. It’s been a few days since they recovered the lost emeralds, and they’ve used the time to prepare and relax before their confrontation with Dr. Eggman.

“Tomorrow’s the big day,” Sonic began, “and we have all the missing Chaos Emeralds.” Nodding his head to his younger brother, Tails grabbed two of the gems from his utility belt and handed them to Sonic. The blue hedgehog displayed them for the others to see, as did the young kitsune with the remaining emeralds. They glowed together, the living room filling with multiple radiating lights. 

“So how _exactly_ are things gonna go down?” Knuckles asked as he repositioned himself on top of the Master Emerald while staring into his wristwatch communicator.

“I’ve already worked out the details,” Tails replied, folding his arms. “We’ll arrive on the outskirts of Eggman’s base tomorrow evening. From there, I’ll send a message to Eggman with my communicator asking him to let us in.”

“And that’s it?” Knuckles asked, furrowing his brow. “We get Cream back, but Eggman gets all the emeralds?”

“Let the guy finish, Knucklehead.” Sonic gestured toward his younger brother.

“This is where the plan gets a bit more circumstantial,” Tails continued. “Rouge and Knuckles: while Sonic, Amy, and I go in to make the trade, you will infiltrate the base from the back.” The young fox pulled out an orange tablet computer from the sofa cushion and displayed it for his friends to see. “I’ve been messing with some software the last few days, and I was able to install security decoders that my Miles Electric here should be able to run from a distance. This will make sneaking in a piece of cake!”

“Will that take care of the mechs, too?” Rouge asked as she dangled upside down from a tree branch, recalling her perilous escape from Dr. Eggman’s base.

“Precisely.” Tails nodded his head. “When I activate my program, the mechs and Egg Pawns should be disengaged. Nevertheless, be _very_ cautious. You’ll be field testing this, after all.”

“Understood.” Knuckled nodded. “We’ll be careful.”

“If all goes according to plan,” Tails concluded, “Eggman will be defenseless. All bark and no bite. He’d be _forced_ to turn over Cream, Cheese, and the three Chaos Emeralds.”

“All right, Tails!” Sonic patted his shoulder. “Your plan sounds full-proof.”

“Thanks, Sonic!” The orange fox gave his older brother a thumbs up, which he returned in-kind.

“But how do we know Eggman wouldn’t have a trick of his own up his sleeve?” Amy asked as she leaned her face closer to her pink laptop, her chin resting against her palms.

“I will admit,” Tails replied as he itched the back of his head, “the plan is risky, but this is our _best_ shot at rescuing Cream and securing the Chaos Emeralds.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Amy sighed. “It’s just that…it’s one thing putting _ourselves_ in danger, but it’s another for Cream to be caught in the crossfire like this. I’m just worried is all.”

“We all are, Amy,” Tails replied, his voice softening. “All the more reason we gotta make this work.”

 _It’s_ my _fault they were kidnapped in the first place._

“Yeah, you’re right!” Amy smiled. “If we all stick together and do our part, we’re sure to succeed!”

 _Stick together? Do our part? If it weren’t for me, we’d still have the Chaos Emeralds_ and _Cream. So much for being a team player…_

“And once we rescue Cream and get the emeralds back,” Knuckles declared, planting a fist in the open palm of his other hand, “I’d like to give Eggman a piece of my mind.”

The entire party erupted in laughter, except for the young fox staring at the corner of the ceiling. Sonic grew silent as the rest of the gang wiped the tears from their eyes. Pressing the mute key on the laptop, he turned to the orange kitsune.

“You okay, little buddy?” The blue hedgehog asked with a look of concern.

 _Maybe I_ was _better off alone…what good am I to my friends anyway?_

“Tails!”

“Huh, whut?” The orange kitsune looked around with wide eyes.

“I was askin’ if you’re okay.” Sonic patted his younger brother’s knee.

“Ohh, yeah…I’m fine!” The young fox gave a fake smile with a thumbs up. Turning back to the laptop, the blue hedgehog unmuted the mic.

“We’re off to bed. Gotta get an early start!” Sonic closed the computer after the party wished each other goodnight and turned back to his brotherly companion.

“Tails, I know when you’re lyin’ to me. What’s on your mind, little guy?”

“Well…” the fox trailed off, kicking his feet, which dangled off the sofa cushion, “I’ve just been thinking about Cream…” He ran a hand between his triangular ears. “I keep seeing her trapped in that cage, Sonic…and it’s all my fault.”

“Tails…” The blue hedgehog brought himself closer to his younger brother. “We’ve been _over_ this. It isn’t your fault.” Sonic sighed. “The _only_ one you should blame is Eggman.” The orange kitsune leaned in against his older brother, resting his head against his shoulder.

“I know…it’s just that…I wish I could’ve done more, you know?”

“Believe me.” Sonic rested his cheek on Tails’ head. “I know the feeling.”

“But _you’re_ Sonic…when do _you_ ever feel inadequate?”

Sonic chuckled lightly under his breath. “More often than you’d think.”

“Like?” He looked up at his brother with drooping eyes.

“Well,” Sonic placed his hands behind his head, “when you got iced-up against that bus in Seaside City and had to stay in the hospital…and that time I let Eggman capture you with his mech. Only goin’ Super could save ya then. But really,” he sighed once more, “anytime you’re in trouble, I ask myself if I coulda done somethin’ more, ya know?”

“Yeah…” Tails’ eyes closed, leaning his entire weight against the blue hedgehog and cuddling in with his hands tucked beneath his head.

“I love bein’ a hero,” Sonic paused to collect his thoughts, “but sometimes I think of those I _couldn’t_ save. Even the _fastest thing alive_ can’t be everywhere at once. It’s hard to accept we can’t be everyone’s hero all the time. What d’ya think, little guy?” The blue hedgehog peered down at the young fox, who was sound asleep against his side, drooling from his open mouth as he snored softly.

Chuckling, Sonic carefully pulled himself off the sofa, catching the fox before he could fall over. Lifting him up, he cradled his younger brother in his arms and tiptoed up the stairs, slowly opened the young kitsune’s bedroom door, and placed him in his bed. Pulling the comforter over his floof, and resting it below his neck, the blue hedgehog gently rustled the orange fox’s hair.

“G’night, big guy.” He gently closed the door, yawning as he headed to his own bedroom.

* * *

Cream sat on a log, her hands outstretched, warmed by the flames of a flickering bonfire in the middle of the woods. Rubbing her gloved palms together, she shivered as she studied the trees surrounding her, their thick branches blocking out most of the moonlight.

“Hey Cream!” came a voice from behind.

“Ahh!” She screamed, turning around and falling off her seat. Sitting nearby, Cheese flew up to their owner with a concerned look on their face. They flew out of the way, however, when the small messenger robot dropped the bundle of twigs in his arms, ran forward, and offered his hand to the startled bunny. “You scared me, Bokkun!” she exclaimed as she grabbed hold of the robot’s hand.

“Hehe, sorry.” He rubbed the back of his head with his other hand in embarrassment.

“That’s okay,” Cream replied with a warm smile on her face. “It was my fault for being so spooked!” The young rabbit turned her attention to the pile of wood. “That’ll last us through the night! Thanks for gathering them.”

“It was no big deal, really.” Bokkun’s flushed face pointed toward the flames. “Here, I’ll feed the fire some more. You get comfortable, okay?”

“Okay.” She gave the messenger robot a wide smile with closed eyes.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added as they landed next to the stack. They attempted to pick up one of the twigs, but they couldn’t grab hold with their stubby hands.

“Here,” Bokkun approached the chao and bent his knees to get closer to their level, “Raise your arms out.”

“Ch…chao?” Cheese extended their arms toward the messenger robot with a puzzled expression. Bokkun grabbed a single twig and placed it across their stubby appendages. Their confused expression eroded as a smile grew on their face. Taking flight once more, Cheese hovered over the flames and dropped the twig over the pit, clapping as the wood fell into the fire below.

“Good job, Cheese!” Cream exclaimed as she reached her arms up to the excited chao. Cheese dove toward her, landing against her chest as she tightened her embrace. Bokkun sat down next to the inseparable duo.

“So how far away is your mom’s place anyway?”

“Hmmm…” She itched her chin with one hand while she kept Cheese nestled with her opposing arm. Looking back at the messenger robot, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Dang it.” Bokkun snapped his fingers. “Maybe we could stop by the nearest town and ask for directions?”

“That’s a good idea, Bokkun, but do you know where we can find the nearest town?”

Thinking for several seconds, the robotic henchman gave a shrug of his own.

“Wait.” Cream shifted her focus from the fire to the messenger robot. “You’re a computer, right? Do you have one of those map things?”

“What do you mean?” His beady eyes blinked as he stared at the young bunny, his face expressionless.

“You know,” Cream replied as she twirled her hand, “like the thing that tells you where to go.”

“You mean like a GPS?”

“Yeah, like that!”

“Well, kind of…” Bokkun stood up and planted his feet firmly against the ground. “I just gotta concentrate for a sec.” Cream watched as her new boyfriend closed his eyes and gently gritted his teeth. A series of 0s and 1s filled the robot’s mind, eventually morphing into a three-dimensional map with a dot pinpointing their location. Mentally zooming out the map, he searched the surrounding area for any settlements.

“Aha!” he exclaimed as he raised a gloved finger to the sky. “The nearest town is only 25 miles away. Shouldn’t take us very long to get there.”

“That’s…nice…”

Bokkun sat down just in time to catch the relatively taller, sleepy bunny against the side of his head. Looking up at the weary rabbit, he pulled her in closer with his arm, watching the fire as he collected his thoughts.

“Hey…Cream?”

“…yes?” The young bunny slowly opened her eyes and peered down at the messenger robot.

“Will I…fit in?”

“What do you mean?” Cream asked, closing her eyes once more as she nestled her muzzle against Bokkun’s head, leaning back against his long, artificial ear.

“It’s just that…all the heroes seem so…tight, ya know? How could I ever hope to become one of you?” Cream pondered this concern.

“We’re all different, and some of us were even enemies. Sonic and Knuckles were rivals when they first met, and now they’re good friends. Rouge is a jewel thief, yet she manages to get along with the heroes, even Knuckles, the Master Emerald guardian.” Cream tossed a twig from her side to the smoldering fire. “With time, everyone’ll come to accept you, and hey,” she looked down at the small robot with a smile on her face, “maybe you could even help us fight Eggman.”

“Fight…Eggman?” His voice cracked.

“I know it’ll be hard,” Cream continued, “but I _know_ you’ll come around. I’m sure it can’t be easy disobeying your master.”

“Right…” Bokkun kicked his feet, which dangled off his makeshift seat, as he stared blankly at the grass below.

“Is something wrong?” Cream looked into his beady eyes, her own glistening from the firelight.

“No…it’s nothing.” Bokkun put on a fake smile. “We should probably get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow!”

“I just realized,” Cream raised a gloved finger to her chin, “we don’t have any blankets, or anything else for sleeping outside! We’ll freeze out here.” Bokkun observed the distraught bunny until a lightbulb went off in his circuitry.

“I know!” The messenger robot raised a finger to the air once more. “We can keep the fire burning while you sleep. You can lie with your back against the firepit, and I could…well…” He scratched the back of his head as his face grew red.

“You could what, Bokkun?” Cream remained seated on the log, her hands cupped together and resting in her lap.

“Well…” Bokkun fidgeted with his fingers. “I can increase my temperature at will. You’re taller than me, so you could…well…sleep behind me for…warmth…”

“…you mean like a snuggle?”

“Ummm…yeah…” A droplet of sweat slid down his forehead.

“Sure!” A smile grew on Cream’s face. “Me and Cheese do that all the time, right Cheese?” She turned to the chao resting against the log.

“Chao, chao!” They emulated their master’s wide smile as they nodded their head, the ball floating above their dumpling-shaped head bobbing in tandem.

“And Cheese could be against your belly, too!” The excited bunny turned her attention back to Bokkun. “But wouldn’t you get tired from making all that heat?”

“Not at all!” Bokkun grinned as he placed his hands on his hips. “I’m partially organic, so I can run off food _and_ electricity, but I have enough reserves to last through the night and then some.”

“Great!” Standing up, the young rabbit gently brushed her foot along the grass next to the firepit, pushing away small bits of debris with the sole of her sneaker before lying on her side facing away from the flames. “Okay, your turn, Bokkun!”

 _Oh my gosh…I’m_ actually _doing this._

The messenger robot took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his brow before removing the jetpack affixed to his back, kneeling, and positioning himself in front of the rabbit. She wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled him closer in.

“You’re up, Cheese!” said Cream.

“Chao, chao!” The blue chao descended to the grass and laid against Bokkun’s belly.

“You’re already warm, Bokkun,” Cream noted. “You raise your temperature yet?”

“Not…intentionally…” He was shaking, prompting the young bunny to lift her head to get a better view of her new boyfriend.

“Something the matter?”

“No no, everything’s fine…here...” Bokkun closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he internally overclocked his processor. “How’s that?”

“Very warm!” She hugged the messenger robot tightly as she rested her chin against his head. Bokkun’s scimitar-like ear was digging into the grass, but he couldn’t feel it. He simply smiled, wrapped his arms around the chao, and closed his eyes.

Bokkun entered sleep mode with a smile on his face, as did the bunny behind him and the chao nestled against his belly. 

* * *

“Cream? Where are you, Cream?”

Tails was in a dark void, unable to see anything around him, including his own body. All he could hear was the young bunny’s cries for help in the far distance.

“Don’t worry, Cream! I’m coming for you.” He broke into a run and began spinning his namesakes, propelling him faster as his feet left the ground. He traveled through the dark void until he saw a flickering light in the distance. “Cream! I see you! Just. _Hold. On_!” Spinning his tails as fast as he could, he eventually reached the source of the light: a flickering CRTV featuring Dr. Eggman laughing in the center of the screen.

“Eggman!” Tails planted his feet on the ground and approached the television. “Where’s Cream? Release her now!”

“Such an _impatient_ fox!” Eggman replied before laughing raucously. “Unless you hand over the Chaos Emeralds, she’ll stay here…forever.”

“F…forever?” Cream could be heard behind the rotund doctor.

“Precisely!” Eggman snickered as he stepped away from the camera to give the orange kitsune a good view of the young bunny trapped in a bird cage hardly big enough to contain her.

“Cream!” Tails sank to his knees and crawled to the CRTV, placing either hand on the television’s plastic frame.

“Tails?” She looked into the camera lens. “Tails! Help! I don’t wanna be here anymore…I’m _scared_!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from their owner’s lap.

“What will you do, Tails?” Eggman quipped. “Will you give up the emeralds, all but ensuring my swift victory, or will you allow this _pest_ to slave away here cleaning toilets? Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“…damn you…Eggman!” The young fox screamed as he launched his fist into the screen, sending static up his arm, shocking him with an unexpected ferocity. “Ahhhhhh!” Blinking, he found himself falling through the depths of the endless void as images of a distressed Cream surrounded him. He couldn’t get her voice out of his head. Looking down, he saw a row of spikes rapidly approaching.

“Oh no!” He tried spinning his namesakes, but they were tied in a knot, utterly useless to the young fox. “Ahhhhh!” He covered his face with crisscrossed arms, bracing himself for the inevitable.

* * *

“Woah!” Tails shot up from his bed, his sweat-drenched covers flying forward as he collected his bearings.

“Another nightmare…” Sighing to himself, he planted his feet on the floor and walked to his desk, resting his forehead in his palms after he sat down. “Cream…why’d I let this happen? If I weren’t so vulnerable, the Chaos Emeralds wouldn’t have been scattered in the first place, and Eggman wouldn’t have kidnapped you.” He leaned back in his chair, resting his palms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. “And now I’m dragging my friends on a dangerous mission because of _my_ foolishness?” He scoffed at himself. “I’ve let everyone down…Even though I was able to build the detector, it could all be for naught if our plan backfires even a little.”

The young fox grabbed a pencil from his desk and spun it around his gloved fingers.

“Unless…” He stopped the pencil mid-twirl. “What if I snuck in and saved Cream myself? I could use my security software to get in safely, and I could have her and Cheese back before breakfast. The emeralds would be safe, and Eggman would be none the wiser.” A grin spread along his lips. “And Sonic would be _proud_ of me.” His smile turned to a frown as he raised gloved fingers to his furry chin. “But how do I tell him?” He peered down at a piece of blank paper on his desk. “Maybe I don’t tell him anything…He’d probably try and stop me anyway.”

The young fox proceeded to write a brief note. Raising it to his face, he proofread it carefully before he placed it on his unmade bed, opened his window, and slipped out, making his way around the abode to the side entrance of his workshop. Climbing into the Tornado 2, he pulled some levers and twisted some knobs, opened the garage door, and ran the biplane down the runway, taking flight toward Robotnik’s headquarters.

“Here I come, Cream!”

“I won’t fail you again.”

* * *

“Why does Eggman always make us do all the hard work?” Decoe asked his metallic brother as they ventured side-by-side through the thick forest surrounding the perimeter of Robotnik’s base.

“He has better things to do than chase escapees,” Bocoe replied, “such as filling his face with pizza, practicing his laugh, developing evil plans that always fail—”

“I get it.” Decoe shook his head. “Either way, I could use a vacation.”

“You said it.” Bocoe stepped over a tree root partially jutting from the ground, his feet landing in a puddle of murky water on the other side. “Ahh, you’ve _gotta_ be kidding me!”

“I hope that dries before we get back, for your sake.” He made mechanical _tsk tsk_ noises as he folded his arms and shook his head. “Remember last time we tracked mud into the base?”

“Don’t _remind_ me.” Bocoe stepped out of the puddle and kicked his feet, wringing out some of the water. “How close are we anyway?”

“Good question.” Decoe pulled the tracking device out of one of his metallic compartments. “Ah, we’re not far away at all. It looks like they’ve stopped for the night.”

“Good.” Bocoe pulled two bags from his pocket. “This will make our jobs easier.”

Slowing their walking speed, they monitored the device until they were within a few dozen yards of Bokkun’s location. Ducking into some bushes, they peered out the other side to find Cream, Bokkun, and Cheese curled up together next to an extinguished fire. Nodding to each other, the metallic brothers crept over to the sleeping trio.

Bocoe knelt down and gently pulled Cheese from Bokkun’s arms, set the chao in a bag, and tied it up tight. As he did this, Decoe clasped Cream’s ankles and ears with cuffs.

“W—what’s going on?” Cream slowly opened her eyes as she felt the cool metal against her fur. “Hey, what are you—” Decoe slapped some duct tape against her mouth. Not saying a word, he applied his final set of cuffs to her wrists before placing her in a different bag and tying it shut.

Pulling out the tracking device, Bocoe pressed a few buttons and aimed it at the still-sleeping messenger robot on the ground. With one final click, Bokkun opened his beady eyes, staring ahead as he pulled himself out of the grass.

“My name is Bokkun, the messenger robot for the ingenious mastermind Dr. Eggman. How may I serve you?” Bokkun’s voice was monotone, his face expressionless, taking no notice of the two prisoners wrestling in their respective bags.

“Carry the rabbit and the chao and follow us.” Decoe commanded.

“Yessir.” Bokkun kneeled down and dragged the bags behind him by the drawstrings as the Eggman servants made their way back to their master’s headquarters. Cream’s muffled cries for help went unprocessed.

* * *

The blue hedgehog woke from his slumber well rested. Slowly opening his eyes, he pushed his comforter back and hopped into his sneakers before stretching his arms and legs.

“Today’s the day.” Grinning to himself as he itched the base of his nose, Sonic headed downstairs for some breakfast. He peered around the undisturbed kitchen. “Did Tails oversleep _again_?” Scratching his chin, he climbed the stairs and approached the orange kitsune’s bedroom. Placing his triangular ear against the closed door, he listened for any hint of his younger brother’s presence. Shrugging his shoulders, he slowly turned the knob and entered the bedroom.

The orange fox was nowhere to be found.

“Maybe he went to tune-up the Tornado?” Turning around, he stopped when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, a piece of paper on Tails’ bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he folded one leg over the other as he read the message.

_Dear Sonic,_

_I wanted to apologize for all the trouble I’ve caused. I know you don’t believe me, but I truly feel responsible for recent events. If I were stronger, you wouldn’t have had to save me with Super Sonic, the Chaos Emeralds wouldn’t have been scattered, and Eggman wouldn’t have kidnapped Cream and Cheese._

_It’s not fair for you and our friends to risk your lives on such a dangerous mission, where even the slightest misstep or miscalculation could be fatal._

_To that end, I’ve decided to rescue Cream by myself._

_Don’t worry! I will be fine. I plan on bypassing Eggman’s security protocols and rescuing Cream and Cheese from right under his nose. He won’t even suspect a thing!_

_Just in case something does happen, I wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for me, from taking me in all those years ago to helping me establish my own workshop. I don’t know where I’d be if I wasn’t your trusted sidekick._

_This is something I need to do alone._

_I hope you’re not mad._

_Sincerely,_

_Miles “Tails” Prower_

“Oh no…” The blue hedgehog crushed the letter in his palm as his arms shook. “That idiot…what is he _thinking_?!” Throwing the letter on the bed, Sonic ran through the abode, making his way to the connected workshop.

“Just as I thought.” Sonic examined the empty parking space previously occupied by the Tornado 2. Putting his nose to the air, he sniffed around for any fresh exhaust. “Drat.” He snapped his fingers. “He’s been gone for a while, probably already at Eggman’s lair by now.”

Shaking his head, the blue hedgehog dashed out of the garage and through the forests of the Mystic Ruins.

“Hang on, little guy.”

“I’m comin’ to save ya.”

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the latest installment of _A Prelude to Chaos Control_! Stay tuned for Chapter 6 of [_Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26289658), a special oneshot I’m planning at the request of fellow users over on the [r/milesprower](https://www.reddit.com/r/milesprower/) [Discord server](https://discord.com/invite/SRycb9p), and Chapter 18 of _Prelude_. **


	18. Down in the Base

“If this keeps up, my circuits will overload!” Decoe complained, stepping around a muddy puddle of water.

“The work we do to satisfy the doctor…” Bocoe grumbled as he tiptoed across a rough patch of dirt.

Bokkun, now under the control of his mechanical older brothers, was dragging Cream and Cheese in separate bags by their drawstrings, pulling them across uneven, jagged ground. Using his jetpack, he leapt over the large puddle, just high enough to keep himself dry. The bags, on the other hand, were submerged in the water, soaking through and drenching the prisoners within.

“If only _we_ had jetpacks,” Decoe scoffed, giving the messenger robot a cold glare.

“Maybe we should ask for a pair as a reward for a job well done?” Bocoe suggested.

“It’s worth a shot.” Decoe shrugged. “The worst Eggman would do is throw us in a trash compactor. There _are_ worse ways to go.” Ignoring his programmed nihilism, Bocoe peered back at the small robot following close behind.

“Let’s pick up the pace! We’re almost back to the lair.”

“Aye aye, Bocoe.” Bokkun saluted the taller robot before increasing his speed. Meanwhile, Decoe activated a communications apparatus affixed to his metallic arm.

“Dr. Eggman, we are approximately 10 minutes away. Where should we take them, your rotundness?”

“Bring them to the lab.”

“The lab?” Decoe and Bocoe exclaimed.

“Are you questioning my orders?” Eggman asked, a dash of annoyance in his voice.

“No, no, no,” the two replied, “we’ll be there soon!”

“Don’t fail me, you bucket of bolts!” Eggman disconnected the call from his command center terminal before grabbing the final slice of pizza from the greasy box by his side. Clutching his belly with his other hand, he looked down at the slice before him. “Well, you know what they say…any pizza’s a personal pizza if you try hard enough.” He devoured it in a few bites before taking a swig of soda and pulling himself out of his chair.

Taking it slowly, Eggman approached the elevator and arrived at the first floor. Walking through several winding passages, he entered his laboratory. The three Chaos Emeralds were resting in the tube-shaped hub at the center of the large room, and the floors and walls were dotted with laser holes from Rouge’s successful thievery attempt. He wasn’t much interested in the cosmetic damage, however, as his attention was focused on a robot surgery table in the corner. Snickering, he began to prepare his work area, ensuring he had the proper tools for the job at hand. As he finished, his three robot servants marched through the double doors, the smallest dragging Cream and Cheese.

“Ah, I see you’ve proven yourselves useful for a change!” Eggman jeered, his hands on his waist as the three machines stood at attention. “Now let’s see here…” The evil doctor snickered as he opened the larger bag, loosening the drawstring to reveal a bruised bunny within, tears in her eyes, and her dress wet from the trip. She stared up at him with sad eyes, the tape against her mouth preventing her from speaking.

“Well look at what we have here.” Eggman gave the young bunny an evil grin. “Thought you could slip through my fingers, huh? Well now I’ll teach you a thing or two about what happens to those who resist the Eggman Empire.” With a snap of his fingers, Decoe and Bocoe hopped into action, grabbing the young rabbit by the arms and setting her in a nearby wooden chair. Decoe released the cuffs from her wrists and legs before reattaching them between her arms and the armrests. After he was finished, Bocoe grabbed the edge of the tape and ripped it off, causing the bunny to wince in pain.

“What are…you gonna do with me?” Cream asked, shivering as water dripped down her fur.

“Me?” Eggman asked, pointing to his chest. “Absolutely nothing.”

“Huh?” Cream cocked her head.

“I may be an evil mastermind, but I’m not evil enough to _physically_ hurt a defenseless child.” With another snap of his finger, Decoe and Bocoe picked up the messenger robot and placed him on the table, strapping his small arms in place. “I think _emotional trauma_ will be sufficient enough. Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“What are you doing with Bokkun?!” Cream yelled, tears starting to form in her eyes once more.

“Oh, you’ll see!” Decoe handed Robotnik the remote as Bocoe retrieved Cheese from the bag, placing them in Cream’s lap so they could each watch what was about to unfold.

Eggman pointed the device at Bokkun and pressed a few buttons. The machine’s robotic stare changed to one of curiosity and confusion. The old Bokkun was back. 

“Ohh, where am I?” The messenger robot attempted to reach for his forehead, but he soon discovered his wrists were locked in place. He tried wiggling himself out of his restraints, but it was no good.

“Trying to escape, are we?” Eggman snickered as he peered over the robot, his hands clasped behind his back.

“W-what’s going on? What happened?” He pulled his head up and looked around, bobbing as if disoriented.

“When I’m finished with you,” Eggman continued, ignoring Bokkun’s question, “you won’t be able to pull that sort of stunt again.” Bokkun put his head back down, his vision still a blur, as the evil doctor walked around the perimeter of the table. “I design all my robots to be completely loyal and obedient, but I added a bit of artificial intelligence and _personality_ to you, Decoe, and Bocoe, making you three unique in your own ways, allowing you to think on your own, which is useful in some respects,” Eggman turned his gaze to the terrified bunny, “but in others, it’s been a _real_ pain in my backside.”

Bokkun’s eyes began to water as the rotund scientist approached him from his end of the table, peering up at his upside-down sinister grin.

“I’m going to reprogram you to ensure complete and total obedience!”

“No!” screamed Cream from her chair. “Don’t do it! You can’t hurt him!”

“Chao, chao!”

“Oh, don’t worry your little head off,” Eggman scoffed, “it’ll be _completely_ painless, and when I’m through with him, he’ll _never_ question my orders again. Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“C-Cream…” Bokkun lifted his head up once more. “I’m…sorry. I won’t be able to try your momma’s pie after all.”

“Don’t say that!” Cream yelled through her tears. “Sonic and Tails will get us out, I promise!” Bokkun rested his head on the table for the final time, a small smile forming on his face.

“It’s over, Cream. Finished. Just…remember what time we had together.”

“No, don’t—”

“I’ve had enough of this _sappy_ farewell garbage!” Eggman threw a roll of tape at Bocoe. “You know what to do.”

“Roger!” Giving his creator a salute, he approached the distressed bunny and affixed a fresh length of tape over her mouth. Her cries were now muffled once more. 

“Now I’ll have at least _some_ quiet.” Eggman rubbed his bald head as he approached the table and pulled a multitool from his jacket. He Inserted it into a small, hidden slot behind Bokkun’s left ear, unlatching and opening his cranium to reveal flashing computer components within.

“Goodbye…Cream…” Bokkun closed his eyes.

Cream’s vision was obscured by her tears, but her eyes were still glued to the procedure at hand as she shook her arms to try and escape the chair’s hold. She eventually slouched back, giving up as she was forced to watch Eggman take Bokkun apart, replacing chips with new ones as the messenger robot laid back soundless and unmoving. 

_No…this can’t be happening…_

“Chao, chao!” Cheese pulled themself up, bruised across their small, blue body from the rough trip, and fluttered their fairy-like wings. Cream knew what they were about to do, and despite fidgeting her legs, and shaking her head as hard as she could, her pet’s determination did not waiver.

_Cheese, no!_

The blue chao took off, lunging at the evil doctor with all their might. Eggman was about to remove another chip from Bokkun’s brain when he was launched back by Cheese’s surprise attack, slamming him into the wall.

“Owww!” Eggman lifted his head and rubbed it. “What was _that_ for, you blue pest?” Looking up, he watched the chao escape back to their owner. “Decoe! Bocoe! Put them back in the bag!”

Cheese landed back in Cream’s lap, Eggman’s multitool across their arms. Thinking quickly, the young bunny nodded toward her feet, a message the chao instantly received; they fluttered to the ground and dropped the tool between the tongue of her sneaker and her sock, using their stubby foot to wedge it far enough down so that it’d go unnoticed. Not a moment later, Decoe grabbed the brave chao and threw them into the bag Bocoe was holding open. Closing the bag by the drawstrings, he dropped it on the floor, causing her to wince. 

“Gahhh!” Eggman yelled, looking at the floor around him. “Where’s that multitool? Without it, Bokkun’s tune-up will be incomplete.” The two robotic brothers searched the perimeter of the lab, but they were unable to locate it. “Check the chao! I’m sure _they_ are hiding it from us!” Decoe and Bocoe opened the bag and inspected the pet within, but they found no such tool. They shrugged after closing the bag once more.

“I can’t _believe_ this!” Eggman slammed a fist against the operating table. “Why didn’t I just make another one?” The evil doctor pointed his attention to the young bunny. “I’ll just have to make a new tool tomorrow to finish the job. In the meantime…” Eggman tilted his head in the bunny’s direction, signaling to his robotic servants. “…you’ll get no meal until we finish the procedure. You’ll witness the true consequences of fighting the Eggman Empire soon enough!” Eggman walked out of the lab with a bellowing laugh as Decoe and Bocoe unlatched the rabbit from the chair and led her back to her cell in the basement, throwing the bagged chao at her once she was shoved back in. Cream fumbled, barely managing to save Cheese from the hard floor below.

As soon as the robotic companions locked the door and left, Cream rummaged through the bag and pulled out the chao.

“Cheese!” Cream gave them a long, harm hug. “You’re okay! Are you hurt?” They shook their head with a smile on their face. “Thank goodness!” Sighing loudly, she laid on her back, her pet cuddling beside her. Both were still drenched in water, but the sheets were too thin to do much good, and she had no change of clothes anyway.

“I hope Bokkun will be okay…”

“Ch-chao…”

* * *

Tails checked the monitor on the Tornado’s dashboard, synced with the detector safely snug within his utility belt. The arrow in the center was pointed toward three nearby blinking dots clustered over one another. Nodding to himself, the orange kitsune scanned the area, finding some nearby flatlands where he could safely land his plane.

“Is this _really_ a good idea?” Tails grimaced as a ping of self-doubt started clawing its way out of his subconscious. “The plan we had was safe enough…at least as safe as walking right into a trap could’ve been.” The orange fox groaned to himself as he straightened out the plane, activating the landing gear before making a rolling stop on the grass below. He furrowed his brow and tightened his fists. “No. I’m here for a _reason_ , and I _must_ follow through. I’d rather risk my own life than the lives of my friends.”

Pressing a button on the dashboard, the glass cockpit shield opened, allowing him to jump out. Stretching his legs, he gave a few gentle pats to his biplane before locking it up and venturing to his destination, a trek which took the young fox about 15 minutes of stepping over puddles of mud and uneven ground. Despite his best efforts, his shoes were caked in brown sludge by the time he made it to the outer perimeter of the energy amplifier base.

Wiping his sneakers against the clean grass, Tails made his way up a hill near the outer gate, one that gave the prodigious kitsune a good vantage point.

Getting on his belly, the young fox crawled up like a soldier until his eyes were poking over the top of the hill, doing his best to reveal as little of himself as possible, even drooping his triangular ears and placing a hand on his forehead to smooth his three locks down. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from his belt, he zoomed in to find the building heavily patrolled by all walks of Eggman robot life, from Egg Pawn grunts to mechs the size of tall buildings.

Rolling on his back and allowing himself to slide down the hillside facing away from the base, Tails placed a gloved finger against his furry chin in thought.

“The facility is heavily guarded, so I’ll definitely need to use my tech. Hope the beta test is a success…” Lifting his wrist closer to his face, Tails tapped a few buttons before dropping his arm back to his side. “There we go. Now they won’t detect my presence, and any camera footage should be frozen.” Grinning, he pulled himself up and climbed the hill, taking careful steps as he slid down the slope and approached the front gate of the base.

“Let’s see here…” Punching in a few keys on his watch once more, he angled his wrist so it was facing the small access panel. It flashed from red to green as the gate opened, allowing the young fox to enter unhindered without the use of his non-stealthy namesakes

Taking swift yet quiet steps, Tails made his way around various robot models he’d destroyed on previous adventures before reaching the entrance. Unlocking the door in the same manner, he stepped inside, trying his hardest to prevent his sneakers from clicking with the tiled floor below.

_Let’s see here…_

The orange fox looked around what was essentially the front lobby, except there was no welcome desk, and the walls were a sleek silver, the red Eggman logo plastered throughout.

Scanning the area, he snapped his fingers upon finding an airduct with a vented metal cover. With a smirk, he activated his namesakes, hovering to the entrance, which was just large enough to fit him inside. Pulling out his multitool, he unscrewed the cover, placed it on the floor, and returned to the duct, slipping in and carefully crawling to make as little sound as possible.

The air filtration system was complex, with many paths that could take him throughout the entire building. After crawling up a few inclines, he flipped himself over and relaxed his back against the sleek metal surface while fiddling with his watch. Pressing a few buttons, a holographic display appeared over his wrist, giving him a map of the entire building. A few more clicks, and the paths representing the ducts glowed green while the rest of the map became transparent.

“Perfect,” Tails whispered as he traced a path through the display with a gloved finger. “It looks like Cream should be in the basement.” Memorizing the directions, he turned the map off and flipped back around, crawling through what appeared to be a random array of paths that took several twists and turns, struggling to pull himself up a steep incline one moment and gently sliding down another slope the next.

Nearing his destination, the orange fox could hear the sound of angry bellowing, followed by a thud, coming from the floor below. Approaching carefully, Tails peered down through a vent along the path, watching as Cream was escorted out of the laboratory by Robotnik’s minions with her mouth taped shut and looking the worse for wear. Only Bokkun was left in the lab, lying on the table, silent and restrained.

_Cream…_

Tails was fueled with anger, the mere glimpse of a distressed and physically worn Cream triggering such a strong reaction within. He was about to pull the vent off the duct and chase Eggman down when the rational part of his brain kicked back in.

_No, Tails…stick to the plan. We can get Eggman back later._

Taking a deep breath, he removed his hands from the vent and proceeded onward, sliding down a few more slopes until eventually finding his way to a straight path with a definite ending.

Crawling along, Tails peered through the vent at the end, observing the narrow hallway beneath and the prison cells lining either side. As if on cue, the young fox heard the sound of footsteps approaching, so he slunk back, peering down as he kept himself as quiet as possible.

“All right, in you go,” Decoe said as he opened Cream’s prison door, gesturing inside. Bocoe gently pushed her in before throwing the bagged chao at the distressed rabbit. 

“Hopefully this whole ordeal taught you not to mess with Dr. Eggman!” Bocoe yelled before slamming the door. His mechanical brother locked it before the two gave each other a high five.

“Another successful mission on the books!” Decoe declared.

“Indeed! I like when plans actually work as intended,” Bocoe agreed.

“You said it.” The two gave each other a metallic fist bump as they returned to the stairwell.

Waiting until the henchmen were gone, Tails removed the vent with his multitool before dropping down to the floor below, using his namesakes to slow his descent. Raising the sole of his left foot, he noticed a path of dripping water ending at Cream’s door.

_Why is she so wet?_

Shuttering at the possibilities, Tails slowly approached the door. Before he knocked, however, he detected sniffling coming from within. Placing his ear against the door, he was able to hear the young bunny and her chao crying. The orange kitsune sighed before gently rapping the door with his knuckles.

“Go away!”

“It’s me,” Tails responded calmly. “May I come in?” He waited several moments but heard no response. Finally, picking the lock with his multitool, he stepped in and turned on the light to find Cream lying on the bed, tears in her eyes, soaked as if she had just taken a dip, and bruises along her body, only partially obscured by her tattered and damp dress. Cheese was no better; a few small bruises dotted his small, blue body, and his red bowtie was grimy and loose around his neck. 

“What…happened?” Tails knelt down and placed his palm over her worn gloved hand. She looked over at Tails, a new wave of tears forming in her eyes as she dove off the bed and gave him a hug.

“Oh, Tails! It was horrible!” She said through her tears as she gripped the young kitsune tightly, making his fur wet as well.

“It’ll all be okay, Cream.” Tails closed his eyes as he rubbed the young rabbit’s back. “We just gotta get out of here.”

“…okay…” She sniffled once more, loosening her grip on the young fox before cradling the sad and tired chao in her lap on the bed.

“If we wait too long, we risk Eggman’s security apparatus coming back online.” Tails peered down at the disheveled bunny, whose legs wobbled even as she sat on the side of the bed. “Are you ready to go?” She nodded slowly. “Okay, then let’s—”

“Wait!” Cream jumped to her feet, determination in her eyes.

“What is it?” The orange kitsune raised his brow in surprise. 

“We _need_ to save Bokkun.” The rabbit balled her fists.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed, a piercing look in their eyes as they flew in a circle before landing on their master’s shoulder.

“You mean Eggman’s robot? Why?”

“Eggman’s gonna take him apart for trying to save me.”

“I dunno Cream…” Tails scratched the back of his head. “I mean, he _is_ an Eggman robot.”

“But he’s _more_ than that!” Cream approached the young fox and clasped his hands with her own, her eyes glistening. “ _Please_ Tails, we need to _try_.”

Tails placed a finger against his lower lip as he stared off into the corner of the room, considering their options.

 _Last I saw him was back in the lab. We_ do _need to cut through that path anyway, but rescuing him would introduce more risk. Then again, he_ did _try to save Cream…_

Tails peered down at the distressed bunny once more before rustling her hair.

“Okay, we can save him.”

“Oh, thank you, Mister Tails!” Cream dove forward and gave the young fox another hug with a smile on her face. Cheese joined in, hugging Tails’ furry forehead.

“Don’t thank me yet.” Gently pulling himself away from the embrace, he turned around and peered out into the hallway. “Think you can get up to that airduct?” Tails pointed to the open vent above.

“Sure.” Walking past the young fox, she jumped up, but she was unable to flap her ears. Feeling her ears, she gasped in surprise. “Oh, I forgot they were still cuffed.” Tails analyzed the metal restraints binding her ears together before pulling out his multitool once more, unlocking them and allowing the cuffs to fall to the floor. “That feels better!” Cream exclaimed. “Thank you!”

“All in a day’s work!” Tails rubbed the back of his head with his multitool as Cream successfully took flight, slowly floating high enough to grab the edge and pull herself up. Cheese followed, flying in with no difficulty. Finally, Tails jumped up while spinning his rotary namesakes, climbing up to join Cream and Cheese above.

“According to my map,” Tails began as he pressed a few buttons on his watch, displaying the winding airduct paths over the device, “we just have to follow the path until we cross over the lab where Bokkun is trapped.”

“You know where Bokkun is?” Cream asked, crawling closer on all fours to get a better look at the projected image.

“Yep! I saw him on the way here, actually.”

“Oh...” Cream’s face turned downcast, her eyes starting to well up.

“I’m sorry, Cream.” Tails placed a hand on her shoulder. “I had no idea Bokkun switched sides. I promise to make up for it.” The young bunny’s demeanor changed once more, nodding as she wiped her tears away with her arm with a smile. “C’mon, I’ll lead the way.” Tails awkwardly crawled around the young bunny, squishing against each other until he was finally on the opposite side. 

“R-right…” Cream followed, keeping herself within a few centimeters of the kitsune’s fluttering namesakes.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” The orange fox stopped without warning, causing Cream to run into his fluffy tails. “Oh, sorry…” Tails scratched the back of his head, chuckling nervously as he spun around and fished around in his utility belt. “Here.” He handed Cream a wrapped stick of gum.

“Thanks, Mister Tails, but why do I need this?”

“It’s a special formula that’ll warm you right up! I figured it’d help, with you being drenched n’ all.”

“Oh, thanks!” With a warm smile, Cream unwrapped the stick and tossed it into her mouth, a smile on her face as she chewed in bliss. “I think it’s already starting to work!”

“That could just be placebo.” Tails wagged his finger with eyes closed. “It shouldn’t take effect for at least another several minutes.”

“What’s a…pla…see…bow?” Cream raised a single finger to her cheek in confusion. Tails spun himself back around and continued crawling toward their destination.

“It’s like when you take medicine, but it doesn’t actually help, but you think it helped because you took it.”

“…Huh?” Cream cocked her head as she followed the kitsune’s fluttered namesakes from behind.

“I…can explain it later once we’re out of this place.”

“Okay!” Cream smiled once more, following the young fox while Cheese rode on her shoulder.

“We’re here.” Tails declared, stopping in front of the vent overlooking the lab. Unprepared for the sudden stop, Cream booped her forehead against his tails once more.

“S-sorry, again.” Cream pulled back, her face blushing as the young kitsune twisted himself around on the other side of the vent.

“No, I should’ve given you more warning.” Tails peered down at the dark lab. The light shimmering from Robotnik’s three Chaos Emeralds filled the room with light. “All right, I think the coast is clear.” The young fox dropped down to the floor, bending his knees to absorb the fall, followed by Cream and Cheese, whose descents were slowed by their ears and wings, respectively.

Approaching the table, Tails and Cream peered down at the seemingly lifeless robot, his hands resting on his belly and a tranquil smile on his face.

“What wrong with him?” Tails asked.

“Eggman was reprogramming him to be more obedient after he caught us escaping, but Cheese stole his tool thingy, so he couldn’t finish.”

“I see…” Tails massaged his chin floof thoughtfully as he analyzed the robot. His eyes wandered from Bokkun’s boomerang-shaped ears to his boots. “Hey…” He grabbed a remote sitting by his legs. “What’s this?”

“Oh, that’s what Eggman, Decoe, and Bocoe used to control Bokkun. They just pushed that button.”

‘Hmmm…” Tails flipped the device between his fingers. “It’s probably not a good idea to activate him, just in case he goes haywi—” Tails was cut off by the blue chao flying around merrily. “Cheese, I know you’re happy to be out of the cell, but now’s not the time for playing.” Seemingly not listening to the orange kitsune, Cheese landed on the remote in his hands, their stubby legs pressing the large button. “Ahh, Cheese!”

“Chao, chao?” Cheese hovered in place over Tails’ hands and cocked their head, not realizing what they did wrong.

“Mister Tails, look!” Cream pointed to Bokkun, who raised his head and stared at the interlopers.

“C-cream?”

“Bokkun!” Cream hugged the messenger robot’s head. “I thought you were a goner!”

“Me too…thanks for not giving up on me.”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese flew around Bokkun’s head in excitement.

“Listen,” Bokkun began, looking at the fox and bunny, “I’ve only been partially upgraded. My software updates have been put on hold, and I’m running on a combination of new and old components. I’m not…stable.”

“W-what do you mean?” Cream’s voice shook. “You’re all right…right?”

“Right now, yeah,” Bokkun sighed, “but I could very well turn against you at any moment.”

“Maybe I could take you apart back at my workshop? Fix you up so you’re no longer under Eggman’s control?”

“I’m sure you could, Tails, but I’m afraid there isn’t much time…” Tears started to form in his beady eyes. “…and...and getting Cream out of here is our number one priority.”

“You mean,” Cream stepped over to the restrained robot, running a hand over his slick, metallic head, “we have to leave you behind?”

“I’m afraid so.” Bokkun rested his head against the table. “Don’t be sad. Once you defeat Eggman again, you can just come back and rescue me. Easy-peasy.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Tails asked the robot as he placed a gloved hand on the sad bunny’s shoulder.

“It’s not about what I _want_ …it’s what we _need_. Worry about me once you get Cream out of here, okay?”

“Right.” Tails winked at the messenger robot before turning his attention back to the rabbit. “C’mon, Cream. We should listen to him.”

“Just…be safe.” Cream rubbed Bokkun’s slick head, causing him to blush.

“I will…be sure to have Vanilla’s pie ready for my visit!” Bokkun returned a forced smile.

“Of course.” Cream wiped tears away from her eyes as she turned to face the airduct once more. As she was bending her legs to jump, however, a flashing red light erupted from behind.

“What’s that?!” Tails exclaimed as he ran toward the messenger robot, whose eyes now flashed a bright red as an alarm rang from his throat.

_INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! THE PRISONER AND AN INTERLOPER ARE IN THE LAB! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALART!_

Bokkun’s robotic, monotone voice echoed through the P.A. system, not just in the laboratory, but also across the entire base.

“Oh no, this is bad.” Tails turned to the door as he heard the rhythmic clunking of metallic feet. The young fox turned to Cream, who was clutching Cheese tightly. He observed the bruises over her body, and noted that she was still drenched and exhausted, if not malnourished. One thing he knew for sure: Cream was not fit to fight right now.

“Go.” Tails stretched the cuffs of his gloves before tightening his fists.

“What?” Cream asked, approaching the battle-ready fox. “You’re not going to fight them alone, are you?”

“There’s no time!” Tails yelled as he pointed to the airduct above. “Just go! All that matters is that you escape!”

“R-right.” Cream nodded as she flapped her ears and headed for the duct. Just as she pulled herself completely in, the double doors to the lab crashed open, revealing a small army of Egg Pawns.

“All right.” Tails slammed his fist into the palm of his other hand, his brow furrowed and a stern look on his face. “Who’s ready to get disassembled?” Assuming a defensive stance, the young kitsune bent his knees and brought his fists up, his namesakes fluttering from behind as the first wave of pawns approached him.

Launching himself forward with a dive, Tails landed a punch to the torso of the nearest robot, denting its exterior and launching it back, causing several others to fall like bowling pins. As Tails landed, he dove head-first toward the floor, using his gloved hands to catch him to perform a handstand. Rotating himself with his hands, he spun his namesakes, his deadly appendages cutting through the robots like butter. Various components and metallic scrap caked the immediate area surrounding the orange fox and his tails, and the robot body count rose by the second. 

_Man, if Sonic could see me now._

Finishing his final revolution, Tails launched himself backward to land on his feet, wiping the sweat from his brow as he assessed the remaining pawns. To his dismay, the number of robots seemed to grow faster than he could take them out, at least through standard close-quarters combat.

Tails jumped back several paces and fished in his utility belt for a dummy ring bomb. Crushing it in his palm, it grew as a red light flashed over it, beeping in tandem with its countdown mechanism. Twisting himself around, he ran up the nearby wall and propelled himself off with a kick of his legs, gaining flight with his namesakes.

“Get a load of _this_ , Eggman!” Tails threw the bomb at the pack of Egg Pawns staring at him from below. The ring exploded, sending shrapnel in all directions and putting many of them out of commission.

As Tails was reaching for another bomb, a lance hurled by one of the pawns below grazed his arm. He clutched it with the other as he screamed in pain, blood forming around the flesh wound as he tumbled down, landing flat on his face. By the time he regained his composure, the remaining bots had encircled him, with Dr. Eggman at the helm.

“Well _look_ who decided to show up uninvited.” Robotnik gave a sinister laugh as Tails struggled to catch his breath, leaning back with his arms propping him up from behind. “Why don’t you just give up, huh?” A menacing grin grew on his face. “I’ve already recaptured Cream, so you failed in your mission anyway. Better to just take the easy way out instead of struggling until the bitter end, right? Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“…N-no…” Tails stared at his feet with wide, blank, expressionless eyes. “This can’t…be…”

“Face it, Miles,” Eggman snickered as he approached the fallen fox, running his fingers through his moustache, “you’ve lost.”

“Cream…I…failed you…”

With a kick to the gut from Eggman’s boot, Tails flew back, colliding with the wall and sliding down to the floor. His ears drooped and his namesakes were still, and his eyes were left open, blankly staring at his feet.

He had given up all hope.

“Decoe! Bocoe!” The two henchmen on either side of the rotund doctor stood at attention.

“Take him to…the interrogation room.”


	19. Escape from the Base

**Chapter 19: Escape from the Base**

**Trigger Warning (TW): This chapter contains a brief scene some readers may find unpleasant. I’ll make it clear where the scene begins and ends for those who would like to skip it.**

* * *

“The interrogation room!?” Decoe and Bocoe exclaimed in unison.

“That seems a bit extreme,” Decoe declared from the doctor’s left.

“Surely you can get the information out of him another way?” Bocoe added from his right.

“Are you questioning my orders?” Eggman turned to face his robot servants, who backed away simultaneously, shaking their heads. “Nothing short of Miles’ astraphobia will get him to spill the beans. As far as we know, Sonic and his friends are infiltrating the base as we speak, so we have no time to waste!” The rotund doctor pointed to the young fox on the floor, signaling his orders to his henchmen. 

“Aye, aye!” The two machines saluted Robotnik as they approached the orange kitsune from either side. He was still sitting against the wall, slouched back and peering at his sneakers with an expressionless stare, all hope and determination sapped from him. His belly was visibly bruised from Eggman’s kick, and a trickle of blood ran down his arm from his spear wound.

“Cream…”

Decoe and Bocoe grabbed his hands and pulled him away. Tails didn’t care that his namesakes were getting knotted up as he was dragged against his will, and he couldn’t feel the cuts on his legs from the shrapnel he was being pulled across. He didn’t even register the robotic brothers hoisting him against a metallic slab, strapping his ankles and wrists down with heavy clamps.

“Cream…I’m so sorry…” Tails’ ears were drooped, and his namesakes dangled below, as he was bound to the slab in a t-pose, his eyes unmoving even as Eggman approached.

“Welcome to the interrogation room, my furry little friend.” Eggman snickered under his breath. “I hope the accommodations are to your liking. Wooahhooohoohooo!” Glaring up at the orange kitsune, Eggman plopped down on his chair and leaned back, running a hand through his moustache. “This is how things will go down. You will tell me all about this little scheme of yours, or else you’ll undergo a bit of…electroshock therapy.” Eggman laughed maniacally as he stood up and approached the young fox, stopping within centimeters of his face. “So what do you say? Are you going to cooperate like a good fox cub?”

Tails remained silent, his gaze unmoving, even as the evil doctor waved his gloved hands through his field of vision. Not even a slap to the face did much to get his attention.

“Giving me the silent treatment, eh?” Eggman scoffed. “Just you wait. Once we get started, you’ll be spilling your guts like there’s no tomorrow.” He sat back down once more, his fingers trembling eagerly as he activated the torture device from his dashboard. An evil sneer grew on his face as he turned a dial to its lowest setting and pressed the start button.

**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!TRIGGER WARNING: THE UNPLEASANT SCENE STARTS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

The slab started to glow a light shade of blue as the purring of the generator could be heard building up from within.

It wasn’t long after when the pain began.

Tails’ body contorted as the first wave of electricity ripped through him, his fur poofing out, his teeth locking in place, and his hands clenching into fists. The smell of burnt fur wafted through the room, and his crippling fear of lightning tore through his psyche like a napalm bomb. 

With a sneer, Eggman turned off the device. Tails coughed and whimpered as he hung from the slab, tears forming in his eyes as he pulled his head up to look at the menacing doctor.

“Did that wake you up? At any rate, now that I finally have your attention, you will divulge everything you know, or else I’ll make the pain much, _much_ worse.”

“I…I…” Tails struggled for words as his vision started growing fuzzy. “I…they…don’t know…”

“They don’t know _what_?” Eggman folded his arms.

“…they…don’t…” The orange kitsune’s head dropped, and his eyes closed, falling out of consciousness.

“Oh no you don’t!” The evil doctor turned up the dial and pressed the button, causing the electric slab to activate once more. The young fox screamed, his body contorting as his muscles tensed up, wishing for the unbearable pain to go away.

**!!!!!!!!!!!!THE UNPLEASANT SCENE IS NOW COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Eggman switched the machine off, the electricity disappearing as Tails slouched forward.

“Now what were you saying? What don’t your friends know?” Eggman mockingly cupped his palm over his earlobe.

“They…don’t…know I’m here…” Tails struggled to say, his breaths labored, the stench of burnt hair permeating his nostrils.

Eggman laughed maniacally.

“Do you _really_ expect me to believe such a boldfaced lie? What sort of _fool_ would go off on such a suicidal rescue mission, especially with an agreement already intact?” Tails didn’t answer, instead allowing his tears to pour down his face, his eyelids unable to ebb the flow. “Maybe if we turn things up a notch…”

“Wait!” Tails yelled. “Don’t do it! I’m telling the truth! I’m…telling…the truth…”

“Oh really? Then let me ask you this.” He stood up once more and approached the orange kitsune, flicking his black nose with a gloved finger. “ _Why_ did you do it?”

“So my friends…wouldn’t get…hurt…” His eyelids twitched as he tried keeping the residual pain bottled up.

“You don’t need to have an IQ of 300 to know when you’re _lying_.”

Tails froze, his vision partially obscured by his tears. Eggman approached him closer, now within a foot of his dangling body.

“Why’d you pursue this _fruitless_ cause, Miles?”

Tails’ eyes wandered to the floor as he sighed.

“Because…I want…to be… _worthy_. I…don’t wanna…be… _use_ … _less_ …”

Tails slouched forward once more, and his eyes closed as he fell unconscious.

“Doctor,” Bocoe interjected, eyeing the orange kitsune, “if you subject him to any more electricity, he may very well die.”

“And he won’t be of any use to you dead,” Decoe added, “and not to mention Sonic’s rage.”

“Who asked for your input?” Eggman placed his palms over their mouths. “I know _exactly_ how much Tails can handle, but I suppose it’s better to be safe than sorry.” The evil doctor snickered as he approached the unconscious fox once more. “Enjoy this little reprieve, _Miles_. Wooahhooohoohooo!” As he turned to face the door, however, he heard a vibrating sound from behind.

“What’s this?” Eggman pulled the orange kitsune’s watch from his wrist, toggled the voicemail application, and projected a videomail message. 

“Tails, it’s me, Sonic. Listen, buddy…I know you feel guilty n’ all, but what you’re doin’ is _suicide_. Please come home, Tails. You gotta. Let’s just stick to the plan.” 

Eggman laughed.

“It looks like Tails _was_ telling the truth!” He turned to his henchmen. “I want you to take Cream and meet me at the laboratory on the double! We shall proceed with the prisoner exchange as originally planned.”

“Yessir!” they replied in unison as they ran out of the room. Throwing the watch over his shoulder, the screen cracking as it collided with the tiled floor, Eggman laughed maniacally as he left the young kitsune alone.

* * *

Waking up a few minutes later, Tails slowly opened his eyes to nothing but darkness, save for a flickering red light emanating from Eggman’s dashboard a few feet away. He fought off the urge to simply close his eyes again, as his body ached and felt like he had been put through a woodchipper. 

Awake enough to assess his situation, he turned his head to the left, using the artificial light to find his wrist tightly restrained against the metal slab. Looking to his right, he found his opposing wrist in the same type of restraint, as were his feet below. As for the rest of him, the stench of burning flesh lingered in his nostrils, and small shrapnel cuts covered his legs. His skin felt sore beneath his fur.

_How…did I survive?_

Tails’ brain, still rebooting from the traumatic experience, compared the recent torture with the shock he experienced back on Angel Island, when he was gathering chaos data from the Master Emerald. He ultimately concluded that the chaos energy that had emanated from the mystical gem was far more powerful than what he was exposed to in Eggman’s lab, but the damage had been isolated to his hand, perhaps willed by the Master Emerald itself. The torture device, meanwhile, was built specifically to extract information from its victims, not to kill them or do irreversible harm, at least not at its normal settings.

Running these thoughts through his mind, he peered at his left-most wrist once more, studying the cylindrical slot that kept him in place. There was a small hole on its side, presumably a locking mechanism. Grinning to himself, he lifted a single namesake, slithering it up like a snake as it approached the restraint. Closing a single eye and sticking his tongue out from the side of his mouth, he carefully inserted the tip of his tail into the hole, feeling around as he manipulated the pins within. After fishing around for a bit, the shackle came off, crashing to the floor and freeing his left wrist.

“Okay. Now for the right…” The orange kitsune repeated this process, eventually freeing his other arm before unlocking the restraints across his ankles simultaneously with both of his namesakes.

Falling to the ground, Tails pulled himself up, brushed himself off, and stretched his sore limbs. Analyzing his left arm, and pushing the bloodstained, hardened fur away, he found the flesh wound was no longer bleeding.

“Hope that doesn’t get infected.” Peering down at the rest of his body, he still felt achy, and the skin under his fur was sore. It was difficult to walk upright, as he was hardly able to take a few steps without briefly losing his footing.

Kneeling, Tails picked up the cracked watch and strapped it back on. His heart sank as he played Sonic’s videomail message, tears forming in his eyes as he watched Sonic pleading with him to abort his solo mission.

“What have I done?” Slamming a fist on the floor, tears poured down his face, the fox holding onto what little strength he could muster to keep him from falling over. “I’m such a fool. Why didn’t I just stick to the plan?” He froze as he remembered Eggman’s words.

_I’ve already recaptured Cream, so you failed in your mission anyway. Better to just take the easy way out instead of struggling until the bitter end, right?_

The orange kitsune pulled himself up. His legs wobbled like gelatin.

“I’ve…gotta…help Cream…” Taking slow, steady steps, the fox collapsed to his knees and slumped forward, hitting his forehead on the floor. “No…I’m in no condition to get Cream out of here, especially with Eggman’s security restored.” Sitting up and crossing his legs, he rubbed his sore head before pressing some buttons on his watch. “Just as I feared. Eggman patched his security apparatus.” Standing up once more, he gripped his injured arm. “Well, I’ve got no other options. I need to crawl back to Sonic with my tails between my legs.” Sighing to himself, he approached the door when he froze, hearing footsteps approaching from the other side.

Scanning the room frantically, he found his escape: a vented airshaft. Flying up, he pulled the vent cover away, slipping in just as Eggman entered the room. Tails crawled through as quickly as he could, the evil doctor’s shouts echoing through the duct.

Crawling along, he no longer required the assistance of his map, as he had memorized the winding paths earlier. He made his way through the narrow passage until he came across the vent above Eggman’s lab, now unoccupied save for Bokkun still strapped to the table. The tubular hub housing Robotnik’s three Chaos Emeralds was left unguarded.

Tails placed a finger against his lip.

“Even if I can’t get Cream out right now, maybe I could at _least_ take the emeralds back?”

“Not a chance.”

“Huh?” Tails twisted himself around. “Rouge…what are _you_ doing here?”

“I was about to ask _you_ the same thing, sugar.” Crawling around the young fox, she eyed the gems below. “Eggman uses a biometric scanner to keep the emeralds secured. Even _I_ was only able to steal one of them last time.” She chuckled under her breath. “So why are you not back with Sonic? And why didn’t your security hacker work? I had to work up a sweat avoiding Eggman’s mechs.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” Tails rubbed a hand behind his head. “It’s all my fault.” The orange kitsune proceeded to explain recent events to the jewel thief, who simply nodded, half-focused on Tails while splitting the rest of her attention to the mystical gems in the lab.

“So why are you here so early?” Tails asked.

“Hey, I followed the plan, didn’t I?” Rouge retorted with a smirk. “I only decided to arrive a little bit early.”

“I suppose.” Tails rubbed the back of his head once more.

“Given your current condition, I wouldn’t stick around much longer.” Rouge looked back up at the orange kitsune, eyeing the dried blood on his arm and the sense of weariness radiating from him. “You best escape as soon as you can. Wouldn’t want to be caught in the middle of things.”

“You’re right.” Crawling away, he waved with a flicker of his namesakes. “C’ya…and be careful.”

“This ain’t my first rodeo, kid.” She smiled before returning her attention back to the empty lab below, watching until Eggman came to retrieve, or add to, his collection.

Making his way out the way he originally came, Tails dropped down to the front lobby. As he was about to step through the exit, though, he froze, balling his hands into fists as he began to shake.

“Cream…I’ve gotta go back for you.” He turned around.

“No way! I’m in _no_ condition to fight.” He turned around again, heading back to the door.

“I don’t _have_ to fight, though! I can just stealth my way back to Cream’s prison cell.” Tails froze once more.

“And if I get caught again? At least she’s presumed safe right now. Trying to escape with her would be too risky with security on high alert.”

“I know, I know…I just…” Tails paused his debate, tears forming in his eyes once more. “I really messed things up. I can’t just _crawl_ back to Sonic.” Furrowing his brow, he spun around and approached the airduct, but as he bent his legs, preparing to go airborne to jump up to the vent, an alarm rang from all directions as a red light blinded the orange kitsune. He covered his ears and closed his eyes.

“It’s…too…loud…” He got down on his knees, freezing as he heard the sound of clanking footsteps approaching the lobby. Forcing himself up, he was met by a swarm of Egg Pawns circling him from all directions.

Adrenaline gave the orange kitsune a second wind.

“If it’s a fight you want,” Tails bent his knees, cracked his knuckles, and fluttered his namesakes from behind, “it’s a fight you’ll get.” Dodging the lunge of the nearest robot, the young fox grabbed its leg with his tail, kicking the robot as it stumbled forward, sending it flying to topple over other nearby pawns. As the other robots approached the acrobatic fox, Tails jumped up, entering spherical form as he bounced around the pawns like an arcade pinball, destroying them one by one before eventually landing near the entrance.

“Owww.” Grabbing his left arm with his opposing hand, the orange kitsune observed the fresh blood dripping from his wound; apparently the injury was too fresh to handle close quarters combat.

Wiping the blood away with his gloved hand, he entered a combat stance once more, but a fist to the face, an attack his dulled senses failed to process, sent him crashing through the glass door and rolling down the steps of the base’s entrance. 

Clutching his bruised belly, the battle-worn fox returned to his feet, his legs wobbling from below as he resumed a fighting stance, his worn sneakers crushing the shards of glass beneath. As the enemies approached him once more, he reached for his utility belt, hoping to pull out a dummy ring bomb, only to find it missing. 

“Ah, damn it.” Tails sighed before taking several steps back, not letting his guard down. As another pawn lunged at him with its spear, Tails dodged the attack and gripped the weapon, stopping the machine in its tracks before pulling it from its grip. Spinning the lance around his body, he stabbed the disarmed robot through the chest, pulling out the weapon before the robot exploded before him. Tails swiped the spear with one clean movement, sending an oncoming row of pawns tumbling down.

While Tails was able to successfully destroy much of the Egg Pawn fleet, he was still fighting defensively; he was forced back more often than he lunged forward, sending him farther away from the building.

And closer to the true danger.

Stabbing a row of pawns, skewering them like a metallic shish kebab, Tails used his foot to pry the lance out, jumping backward several feet to avoid the impending explosion. Instead of solid ground behind him, though, he slammed his back against a slick, solid metallic surface. Twisting himself around, a large mech the size of a 20-story building analyzed its target, charging its leg for a kick.

Tails never stood a chance.

The mech launched the young fox several yards upward like a soccer ball before slapping him away with a flick of its wrist. Colliding with the ground below, Tails staggered to his feet, wiping his face and turning his head to spit away blood before returning to his fighting stance, even more drained than before.

The mech stepped toward its adversary, winding its arm up before slamming it down, its metallic palm about to flatten Tails like a crêpe.

He covered his head and closed his eyes, but instead of unimaginable pain, he felt the force of a gentle gloved hand grab him by the namesakes, pulling him away from the fray and into a comfortable, leather seat.

Opening his eyes, he found himself sitting in the backseat of the Tornado 2 previously parked safely away from Eggman’s base.

“S…sonic?” Tails’ vision was dizzy as he struggled to keep himself stable. The sudden nosedive, followed by a swoop of the plane, didn’t help matters, but he was able to grab a safety bar on either side to help better secure himself. The wind ran through his fur, the sound of the biplane’s engine omnipresent, certainly loud enough to drown out the orange kitsune’s weakened voice. 

“Take this! And that! And _that_! Aha!” One by one, Sonic took down the Egg Pawns below with the machine gun affixed to the aircraft. “And this one’s for Tails!” Locking onto his target, the blue hedgehog pressed a red button, launching multiple missiles at the menacing mech that, mere moments earlier, was about to squash the orange kitsune to a pulp. “Bullseye!” Sonic cheered as the mech went down, fire engulfing the machine as it fell to the ground below.

Circling the aircraft back around, Sonic peered into the rearview mirror.

“Tails!” The blue hedgehog tapped the controls on the dashboard, activating the landing gear as he found a strip of grassy land just long enough to land the biplane a few hundred yards from the base’s perimeter. As soon as the biplane came to a stop, he jumped back to Tails’ seat, cradled him against his chest, and jumped out of the plane, carefully landing on the grass below before laying the orange kitsune on the ground.

“S…sonic…you c-came…for me…” He smiled as the blue hedgehog rested his gloved palm below his head, dropping to his knees to better tend to the worn fox.

“Anything for you, little guy.” Lifting his head gently, the hedgehog vanished, returning with the Tornado’s first aid kit before it could drop back to the ground. 

Dousing Tails’ wound with water, Sonic carefully cleaned the debris with a cloth before applying ointment and a bandage to the area. As the spear only penetrated the flesh, there was no serious damage, but the blue hedgehog detected another odor through the iron smell of his younger brother’s blood.

“Did you…burn yourself?”

Tails’ eyes opened widely as recent memories came rushing back into his mind. Launching himself against Sonic’s torso, the orange kitsune buried his face against his pale chest, tears pouring from his eyes.

“You’re gonna be okay, lil’ guy.” Sonic rubbed his back as the fox gripped him tightly. “Just tell me what happened.”

Tails proceeded to recount the events that had transpired since his unsuccessful infiltration attempt began, from getting Cream and Cheese out of their cell to finding Bokkun locked in the laboratory. The torture explanation was worst of all. The kitsune’s crying made his story difficult to understand, but Sonic caught the gist of it.

“That monster.” His palms, which rested gingerly against Tails’ back, balled into fists as the blue hedgehog ground his teeth.

“I’m…so sorry.”

Sonic relaxed, softening his fists once more.

“For what?”

Tails pulled his face away from Sonic’s chest and peered up at his eyes.

“I didn’t follow the plan. I should’ve, but I just didn’t. I wanted to prove I was worthy…undo the damage I caused,” Tails looked out at the headquarters overlooking the hill on which they rested, with red lights blaring and alarms penetrating the otherwise still, crisp morning, “but I’ve only managed to make things worse.”

Smiling, Sonic sat down as the orange fox joined him, sitting alongside his older brother.

“I’ll admit, I was pretty upset when I saw that note,” the blue hedgehog turned to look at his younger brother, “but now that you’re okay, I’m just relieved.”

“So…you’re not mad?”

“Mad?” Sonic chuckled. “Of course not! Just don’t do that again.” He gave his younger brother a wink, which he returned in kind before resting his head against his shoulder, both looking out at the base off in the distance.

“What do we do now?” Tails asked.

“My first thought was to just rush in there and save Cream n’ Cheese,” Sonic rubbed the base of his nose, “but with all the commotion, I wanted to run it past the gang.” Tails giggled softly as his head rested against his shoulder.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s just that…you’re thinking through a plan. Not just rushing in.”

“Yeah…I suppose that _is_ a little funny.” The two shared a small bout of laughter. 

“And Sonic?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry…”

“No big deal, really.” Sonic wrapped an arm around Tails’ back, his hand gripping his side. “How could I ever be mad at ya for being a hero?” Tails gasped softly, a blush forming on his face as his eyes glistened once more.

_He called me…a hero._

Tails remembered Sonic’s pep talk at the hospital, which felt like so long ago; despite failing to follow his older brother’s orders to stay in the grounded plane back at Seaside City, and getting injured while confronting Eggman, Sonic never blamed the orange kitsune. In fact, he even credited him for throwing himself into the fray, acting boldly as any hero would to protect the innocent and stop those who wished to harm them.

Some things never changed.

“Thank you…Sonic.” Tails wrapped his leftmost namesake around the blue hedgehog’s waist as he kept himself warm from the morning chill with his other tail. Sonic grinned, leaning against the orange kitsune as his younger brother did the same, keeping each other upright as they snoozed, waiting for their companions to arrive.

* * *

Tails’ ears twitched.

Opening his eyes, he thought he heard a disturbance near the biplane. Checking his watch, careful not to awaken the sleeping blue hedgehog against his shoulder, he found they’d only been resting for about 20 minutes. Fueled by adrenaline, the fox was now fully awake, the morning still too early for the sun to make its first appearance.

Gently pulling himself away from the blue blur, and carefully lowering his spiky head to the grass, Tails left his older brother behind to investigate the biplane. He heard the sound of rustling within, the cockpit’s glass casing still retracted from earlier.

“Who goes there?” Tails called out before two figures jumped from the plane and made a run for it, the taller, slender one carrying a backpack he stole from the aircraft.

“Bocoe, use the smoke bomb!”

“Right.” The shorter robot threw the bomb over his shoulder, exploding as it made impact within feet of the young fox.

Tails coughed, covering his face with his arm and squinting through the smoke. As he recovered from the initial blast, the prodigious fox spun his namesakes, dispelling the smoke from the immediate area, but by the time he was able to see clearly again, Decoe and Bocoe were long gone, now small dots approaching Eggman’s base, protected by fresh mechs covering the fenced off grounds.

Pulling himself up, Sonic coughed as he straightened his back.

“What was _that_ all about?”

“It was Decoe and Bocoe!” Tails replied, pointing to the evil doctor’s base. “They stole the emeralds!” Sonic glared at the building.

“Ah, fiddlesticks. We need to get them back!”

“Get what back?” came a voice from behind. Turning around, Sonic and Tails watched Knuckles and Amy approaching through the bushes. Knuckles stood stoically, ready for the mission ahead, as Amy brushed the dirt away from her red dress, contorting her face as she realized how much stain treatment she’d need to apply when she got home.

“It’s…kind of a long story,” Tails replied, “but we don’t have time. Eggman stole our Chaos Emeralds, _and_ he still has Cream and Cheese, so we no longer have any bargaining chips.”

“Then that means…” Knuckles stepped forward, planting his fist into the palm of his opposing hand. “No more walking on eggshells. We charge in, gather the emeralds, and rescue Cream and Cheese.”

“Right on!” Amy replied, swinging the Piko Piko Hammer she pulled from her hammerspace, making an imprint in the grass below. “So how should we go about this?”

“Well,” Tails continued, “Rouge is already situated in the airducts, so we don’t need to wait for her, and with Eggman fully aware of our presence _and_ in possession of all the emeralds, we should take our chances.” The young kitsune turned to Sonic. “You and Knuckles can approach from the front, but be careful, we don’t know _what_ Eggman may have in store.”

“Got it, lil’ buddy!” Sonic replied, giving his younger brother a thumbs up.

“Crystal clear,” Knuckles added, planting his fist against his palm once more as Tails turned to face the pink hedgehog.

“Amy, can you help provide air support with me in the biplane?”

“And _not_ be by Sonic’s side?” Amy shook her head as she raised her hammer behind her head, resting its handle across her shoulders. “Sorry, but I go where _Sonic_ goes.”

“But Amy,” Sonic retorted, approaching the pink hedgehog, “it’ll be dangerous down there. I wouldn’t want ya to get hurt.”

“You…really mean that?” Amy’s blush matched her dress. 

“Of course!” Sonic gave her a thumbs up. “I’d feel _much_ better if you helped Tails in the sky.”

“I dunno…” Amy fidgeted her feet as she peered back at the Tornado 2 before returning her gaze to her self-described boyfriend. “Okay, fine. I’ll go with Tails… _if_ you agree to a date!”

“A date?” Sonic asked, cocking his head in confusion.

“Well yeah, to make up for our lost time together.”

“Ummm, well…sure, I guess…” The blue hedgehog ran a hand through his spines, unprepared for the pink hedgehog’s tackling hug.

“It’s a deal!” Amy pulled herself away, smiling as Sonic caught his breath. “I’ll remember this promise, you know!”

“I’m sure you will!” Sonic replied, laughing nervously as he approached the apex of the hill overlooking the base. The trio followed him, forming a circle at the top and bringing their hands in.

“One…two…three…break!” They all waved their arms up. Tails collapsed backward, still weary and injured from his last encounter, but the blue hedgehog pulled him up by the hand, stopping him from rolling down the incline.

“I take it you don’t wanna sit this one out?” Sonic asked with a smile.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Tails replied with a wink, which Sonic returned enthusiastically. “I know you get nervous when I’m in the fray, especially when I’m injured, but I promise to do my best!” The blue hedgehog, momentarily thinking back to the fight with Eggman that landed the young fox in the hospital, pushed the concern out of his mind and nodded with a smile.

“Then it’s settled.” He turned to face the trio for the last time. “Good luck everyone!” With a wave, Sonic dashed away, rolling down the hill at the speed of sound. Knuckles soon followed, jumping off the hill and gliding down, catching enough wind to make it over the fence.

“You ready, Tails?” Amy asked, placing her weapon back into her hammerspace and tightening her fists in determination.

“Yeah. Let’s do this.”

“Hold on just a little bit longer, Cream.”

* * *

“Those fools.” Eggman’s bellowing laughter filled the lab as he watched the heroic quartet break their huddle through a hidden camera. “They have no idea what they’re getting themselves into…right, Cream?” He spun around, eyeing the distressed, caged bunny and her pet chao with an evil grin. They merely whimpered in response.

“And once I’m through with those pesky brats,” Eggman stood up, nabbing the gems in Decoe and Bocoe’s hands, “the world will be _mine_.” He laughed maniacally as he placed the mystical emeralds into their designated slots in the energy amplifier, which roared to life as a magnificent aura of light filled the room.

“They’ve already lost.”

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed the penultimate chapter! Special thanks to**[ **Pantalion**](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4735868/Pantalion) **,**[ **Guardian of 2fort**](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/14407897/Guardian-of-2fort) **,**[ **Leodragon678**](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/11029183/Leodragon678) **, HugeTailsFan,**[ **UntoDelirium**](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/13334518/UntoDelirium) **,**[ **Rcadion**](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/14438894/RCadion) **, and The messenger of the knight over on the**[ **r/MilesPrower**](https://www.reddit.com/r/milesprower/hot/) [**Discord server**](https://discord.gg/SRycb9p) **for their valuable input!**

**Stay tuned for the final chapter!**


	20. What I'm Made Of (Part 1)

Crashing through the wired gate with a spindash, Sonic studied his surroundings. He spotted groups of Egg Pawns making their rounds of the perimeter, certainly more than Robotnik would normally deploy, as well as a few mechs. 

Landing at his side, Knuckles joined his hedgehog companion in scanning the base, thinking through a strategy. 

“I say we get rid of enough Eggman robots to make the rescue as safe as possible,” Knuckles said as he stepped forward. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Sonic itched the base of his nose with a smirk. “I was lookin’ forward to putting Egghead’s bots out of commission anyway.”

“Then I think it’s best we split up.” Knuckles pointed to the right. “I’ll take down the machines covering this exit.” 

“Roger.” Exchanging a fist bump, the two sped off, approaching their nearest targets.

Entering a spindash, the blue hedgehog took down a row of Egg Pawns with ease, exploding seconds after impact. As he slid to a stop, he jumped, launching himself in the air for his next target. Identifying a cluster of pawns, Sonic rolled into a ball and curved, bouncing on each machine like a pinball until a mass of shrapnel was all that remained.

“Halt.”

The blue hedgehog spun around to find another group of pawns, wielding weapons ranging from swords to spears, all targeting the interloper. The one at the head drew its laser pistol.

“You are trespassing on private property. Leave now, or you _will_ be exterminated.” The pawn’s robotic voice was echoed by its mechanical companions.

With a smirk, Sonic stuck his tongue out as he pulled down his lower eyelid with his middle finger.

“Nahhh!” The blue hedgehog proceeded to breakdance, shuffling his feet as he maintained eye contact with the squadron leader. “I bet your aim’s so poor you couldn’t even hit a hedgehog up close.”

Without a retort, the pawn stepped forward and aimed at his head, the gun’s nozzle within centimeters of its target.

“Watcha gonna do, bolt breath? I’m right here!” He smirked as he continued his breakdance.

Pulling the trigger, the robot stepped back in surprise when it realized its target had vanished just as it fired.

_Tap, tap…_

Turning around, the robot registered Sonic’s condescending wave before taking a fist to the face. The squadron leader tumbled backward, coming to a stop several yards away before exploding.

“Who else wants a piece of this?” Cracking his knuckles, Sonic raised his arms and tightened his fists. “Or are you _scared_?” As if answering his call, the remaining pawns circled the blue hedgehog and lunged at him simultaneously. With a chuckle, Sonic effortlessly dodged each attack, allowing the Egg Pawns to damage themselves as they inadvertently skewered their robotic companions. Diving away just as the unfortunate robots exploded in a jumbled heap, Sonic continued his destruction spree, taking down pawns effortlessly with a flurry of punches, kicks, spindashes, and homing attacks. 

“C’mon, step it up!” Sonic taunted as he dodged a lunge from a spear-toting pawn to his left, countering with a roundhouse kick that sent it flying, toppling over another group of approaching robotic warriors.

“Man, I wish this was _actually_ a challenge!” Hearing a disturbance from behind, the blue hedgehog spun around to find a rapidly approaching silver mech. Sporting yellow claws, a blue torso, and a circular, red lens as its face, the threatening machine meant business.

“Haha, now _this_ is happenin’!” Sonic stepped forward, planting a fist into the palm of his opposing hand. “Let’s see what you’re made of.” With a smirk, the blue hedgehog ran around the large mech as he scanned every corner of Eggman’s robotic creation, trying to figure out its weak spots. Not paying attention to the path ahead, however, Sonic tripped over a large, yellow spring, certainly a trap specifically made to catch him off-guard.

Before the blue blur had the opportunity to collect his bearings, the mech made its move, slapping the hedgehog down with the open palm of its large, mechanical hand, sending him crashing back down to the spring which launched him up once more. The machine engaged a wide kick, sending Sonic several dozen yards away before meeting the artificial surface below.

Rolling to a stop, the blue hedgehog slowly pulled himself up, wincing at the unexpected, albeit manageable, pain in his right arm.

“Okay, so I _guess_ I may’ve been a lil’ cocky.” He itched the base of his nose as the mech approached him once more. “All right, time for round two!” Smirking, he made a high jump, purposefully landing feet-first against another spring, launching him up even higher. Curving his trajectory just right, he curled himself into a ball and collided with the mech’s head, denting its outer shell and causing it to lose its balance, pinwheeling its arms as it regained its footing.

“N’ now for the finishing bl—” Sonic froze as he watched oncoming bullets finish off the mech, sending it tumbling to the ground, exploding upon impact. Looking up, Sonic waved at his two-tailed sidekick and the pink hedgehog aboard the Tornado 2. “All right, Tails!” the blue hedgehog exclaimed into his wristwatch communicator. “Good work!” Tails chuckled with embarrassment on the other line.

“Thanks, Sonic!” The orange kitsune pushed the yoke of his biplane, sending the aircraft into a nosedive.

“Tails, what are you _doing_?” Amy yelled from the backseat.

“Hold on tight!” With a grin, he pulled the yoke back, gunning down a row of Egg Pawns as he leveled off.

“Tails, behind us!” Amy yelled. Through the rearview window, the young fox spotted spherical, floating robots in hot pursuit, preparing to deploy artillery of their own.

“Oh no they don’t!” Pressing a button on his dashboard, Tails released miniature, orange airplane-shaped projectiles which collided with the pursuing robots and caused them to spark, malfunction, and fall to the ground. 

“Bullseye!” Tails raised a fist in accomplishment. 

“I wouldn’t celebrate just yet.” Amy pointed to the droids his projectiles missed, surrounding the Tornado on both sides. 

“Amy, you got this?” Tails opened the protective hatch around the cockpit.

“Of course!” She nodded her head before materializing her Piko Piko Hammer from hammerspace, jumping to the right wing, and planting her feet on the smooth surface. “Batter up!”

She grinned as she readied her hammer, waiting for the first droid to strike. With impeccable timing, the nearest robot flew toward her, locking onto its pink hedgehog target only to be decimated by the swing of her heavy hammer, completely shattering the droid into tiny pieces. Swinging once more, Amy took down another set of robots before jumping to the left wing, swiping them away with her deadly pink weapon.

“Easy as pie!” As she turned around to return to the cockpit, she heard the sound of a droid which, until then, had hidden below the aircraft.

Amy swung her hammer around, but it was too late; a bullet hit the hammer, causing her to drop the weapon and lose her footing. Pinwheeling, she failed to regain her balance and slipped off the edge of the wing.

“Amy!” Tails switched on his dashboard communicator. “Sonic! Amy’s falling. We need an emergency pick-up.” 

“Gotcha!” Twisting around, the blue hedgehog eyed the skies, immediately spotting Amy plummeting back first, her hammer falling in tandem. Furrowing his brow, Sonic spindashed forward, jumping up to catch the unwitting damsel. As he reached the height of his jump, Sonic pulled Amy in closer to his chest, bracing her for the landing. Nearing the ground, Sonic dove, clutching the pink hedgehog as he rolled into it to reduce the force. The hammer fell nearby, its face denting the metallic surface below.

“Are you okay, Amy?”

“Ohhh, Sonic!” The pink hedgehog released herself from Sonic’s grasp, pulled him up, and gave her self-declared boyfriend a long hug. “That was _so_ romantic!” She let go of the blue hedgehog and turned away. “I guess I broke my promise, huh…”

“What do you mean?” Sonic placed a gloved hand on her shoulder.

“Well,” Amy replied, turning back to face the blue blur with a blush, “you promised me a date if I stayed in the plane…well…” She pointed to the aircraft making circles around a nearby mech.

“Oh, is that all?” Sonic shrugged his shoulders. “You didn’t fall out on purpose, right?”

“Well yea, bu—”

“But nothin’.” Sonic grabbed Amy’s hands. “Then you _didn’t_ break your promise. After we rescue Cream n’ snag the emeralds, we’ll go on that date.”

“R-really?” Amy fluttered her eyelashes.

“You bet!” Sonic winked with a smile. “Now how ‘bout we go save the day?”

“Right!” Amy picked up her Piko Piko Hammer and returned it to her hammerspace before running alongside the blue blur toward Eggman’s base, a smile on her face.

“Ahhhh, Sonic!” the orange kitsune called from his communicator.

“What is it, Tails?” Sonic replied, raising his wrist close to his face.

Tails peered back at the rear wing of his biplane, which was in flames and billowing smoke.

“I’ve been hit! I need to make an emergency landing.”

“Okay buddy, I’ll make sure it’s safe for ya.” He brought his wrist down to his side. “Well, Amy,” Sonic began as he traced Tails’ flightpath in the sky, “looks like we’ll need to make a little detour.” Swooping her up from behind and cradling her once more, Sonic ran in the Tornado’s direction, approaching a fresh mech serving as Tails’ only obstacle.

“Maybe if I draw it away…” Sonic thought out loud.

“Hey Sonic!” Tails shouted through the watch as he spun the plane around in his direction, still able to maintain some control over his failing aircraft. “Catch!”

The blue hedgehog caught the gold ring in his palm before crushing the ring in his palm, setting Amy down a few feet away, and charging a spindash. Glowing a dark shade of blue, the hedgehog punctured the mech like a large bullet, sending the robot flying back, where it exploded before it hit the ground.

“You’re clear to land, Tails!” Sonic peered over at the Tornado 2, which turned around once more. The orange kitsune deployed his landing gear, made contact with the metallic, artificial surface below, and rolled to a stop.

Diving out of his biplane, Tails reached in the supply compartment in the back for a fire extinguisher. Spinning his namesakes, he floated near the source of the flames, pointed his nozzle toward the tail wing, and put the fire out. Landing back on the ground, setting the extinguisher aside, and resting his back against the hard surface, the exhausted kitsune breathed heavily, wiping sweat from his brow.

“You okay, lil’ bro?” Sonic asked, approaching Tails alongside the pink hedgehog.

“Yeah, just need to catch my breath is all.” The young fox pulled himself up, brushed off his knees, and stood up straight, his legs wobbling from exhaustion. 

“Are you sure?” Sonic asked as Knuckles joined the group, none the worse for wear after clearing the robots on the other side of the building.

“Positive!” Tails replied, forcing a smile as he gave his older brother a thumbs up. “We’re all here, so I say we get goin’!”

“Hold up a second.” The party turned to Knuckles. “You were already pretty worn before the mission, and now look at you: exhausted from taking on a few robots? Taking a hit from an Eggman mech?” He gestured to the smoldering aircraft. “That’s not like you at all.” The red echidna turned to the blue hedgehog. “I think Tails should stay here.”

“No way!” Tails raised his brow and planted his hands on his hips, puffing his cheeks out. “Those were just flukes! I’m totally fine, and besides,” Tails turned to Sonic, “I can’t just stay behind. It’s _my_ fault Eggman has the emeralds, and by extension, Cream and Cheese, so I _need_ to help!”

“How many times do I have to tell ya, bud?” Sonic protested. “It _wasn’t_ your fault, and I’m sure Cream agrees!” The blue hedgehog stood quietly, folding his arms, tapping his foot, and closing his eyes in thought as he recalled what transpired back in Seaside City the last time he denied his sidekick a bite of the action.

_I’m sorry, but with your injuries, you’d only be a liability on the battlefield._

He painfully remembered the dejected look on his younger brother’s face as he and Knuckles went to confront Eggman alone. Sonic realized that, while his intentions were noble, Tails’ feelings were ultimately hurt, leading him to disobey, join the fray, and take some blows that landed him in the hospital.

At least if Tails came with, he could keep him safe.

“I suppose you’d just tag along anyway if we left ya here?” Sonic asked, opening his eyes as a small grin formed.

“Well, I suppose…” Tails chuckled under his breath as he gently blushed and clasped his hands behind his back.

“Then it’s settled!” The blue hedgehog gave the orange fox a thumbs up. “You’re comin’ with us! But don’t overdo it, okay?”

“Okay!” Tails cheered, almost losing his footing in excitement.

“I _still_ don’t think this is a good idea,” Knuckles opined, “but we can’t _force_ you to stay behind. Just be careful.”

“Right.” Tails nodded as he followed Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy into Eggman’s headquarters, stepping through the shattered glass door at the top of the entryway stairs.

“Woah, looks like you did a number on this place, Tails.” Sonic patted Tails on the shoulder, who blushed at the validation. 

“Well, it was nothing, really…” Rubbing the back of his head, he scanned the lobby as he recalled the map he memorized during his initial infiltration. “If I remember correctly, the lab should be just down this hall.” Tails pointed ahead, but as they stepped over a smoking pile of broken Egg Pawns, a new horde of Eggman’s mechanical soldiers came running toward them from the other end of the hall, charging at them with sharp spears.

“When will they ever learn?” Sonic said with a sigh. Knuckles smashed his fist against his open palm, Amy readied her hammer, and Tails furrowed his brow, his arms raised and his hands clenched into fists, his namesakes fluttering from behind.

“Hey Ames,” Sonic turned to the pink hedgehog, “let’s do that special trick we’ve been savin’.”

“Oh, okay!” Sonic got into position, charging a spindash as she pulled her arms back, tightening her grip against the handle of her hammer. “Ready, and…”

“SWING!”

With a crushing blow that would’ve damaged almost anyone else, the head of the Piko Piko Hammer crashed against Sonic’s spherical form, sending him flying toward the oncoming barrage of enemies, blasting through the hallway and destroying the entire horde in one fell swing. Running forward, the rest of the gang met up with the blue hedgehog, who was itching the base of his nose as he examined their handiwork.

“They should be in there.” Tails pointed to the double doors leading into Eggman’s laboratory. Sonic pressed his ear against the door, behind which he heard the sound of the evil doctor’s maniacal laughter and the faint sound of whimpering.

“Yep, no doubt about it. They’re in here.” Backing up a few paces and turning around, the blue hedgehog faced his three companions. “Are we ready for this?” The three nodded their heads in agreement as Sonic turned his attention to his younger brother. “Last chance to turn back. You sure you wanna join us?”

“Without a doubt.” Tails furrowed his brow once more, clenching his fists in determination before approaching the doors, kicking them open, and stepping inside, followed closely behind by Sonic, Amy, and Knuckles.

“Well look what the fox dragged in.” Eggman grinned as he stood in front of the cylindrical machine at the center of the lab. All seven Chaos Emeralds sparkled within, placed securely in their designated slots. Cream and Cheese were sitting in a small birdcage-shaped cell to his right. The two wiped away their tears.

“You’ve come to rescue us!” Cream exclaimed, standing up and gripping the bars with her worn gloved hands.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added, flying around the cramped space with a smile on their face.

Tails immediately ran over to the weary rabbit. Kneeling and locking hands through the bars, the two shared a smile.

“Hold on, I’ll get you out with my mult—” he gasped as he reached down where his utility belt used to be. “Oh no! I lost my multitool!”

“That’s okay,” Cream replied, her smile radiating with positive energy, “I have this thing.” Dropping to a single knee, the clever rabbit pulled Eggman’s multitool from her shoe and handed it to him. Astonished, the orange kitsune snagged the device from her hands and used it to unlock the cage. Opening the small door, Cream stepped out as Cheese spun circles around her before colliding with Tails’ furry chest floof and giving him a long hug.

“I missed you too, little guy.” Tails returned the embrace, gently wrapping his orange arms around their small back.

“You can have them back for all I care!” Eggman yelled, his voice echoing through the lab. “In a few short moments, you will all be bowing before me anyway. Wooahhooohoohooo!

“Give it up, Eggman!” Sonic replied, pointing at the rotund doctor. “We didn’t come here just for them.” Stepping forward, he extended his arm and opened his palm. “We’ll be taking those Chaos Emeralds off your hands.”

“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” Eggman laughed as he stepped back, pressing a key on the dashboard just below the emerald slots. “You’re too late, Sonic the Hedgehog! Thanks to your clumsiness, I have now achieved perfection! The power of these gems, coupled with my ingenious energy amplifier, will ensure my absolute rule over all of Mobius!”

The ground shook from beneath.

“But first, a change of scenery is in order, no?” He massaged his orange moustache with an evil grin as the floor below them began to lift off the ground.

“What is this?” Sonic nearly lost his footing, balancing on one leg as he pinwheeled his arms. Knuckles dropped to a single knee, Amy leaned against her heavy hammer, and Tails took flight, carrying the scared bunny in his arms. As the laboratory seemingly converted into an elevator, the airduct above unhooked itself in the middle, either end retracting into the walls. From the new, ever-widening opening dropped Rouge the Bat.

“Well there goes _my_ cover,” she said to herself as she fluttered her wings, keeping herself airborne. 

Calling forth his Egg Mobile, which rolled to a stop next to him on its retrofitted tires, Robotnik climbed in just as the room-wide elevator sped up, sending Amy, Knuckles, and Sonic rolling around the lab like pinballs. Taken off-guard by the sudden speed shift, the floor quickly met Rouge and Tails from below. As Rouge collided with an irate Knuckles, Tails quickly grabbed hold of the cell’s iron bars with a single gloved hand, holding Cream and Cheese to his chest with the other.

As they approached the top of the building, the ceiling split into two and folded into the walls before they sank down. All that was left were the computers dotting the laboratory, the energy amplifier, Eggman, the heroes, and the soothing, crisp wind of the early morning, the sun barely peeking over the horizon.

“Welcome to our fighting arena,” Eggman declared, “or should I say…your _final resting place_. Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“So now we’re outside?” Sonic pulled himself up and shrugged his shoulders. “So what?” With a sneer, Robotnik spun his Egg Mobile around and crossed to the other side of the roof.

“Is he…” Tails stammered. “…gonna…drive off?”

“But why?” Amy asked, her eyes transfixed on the evil doctor’s vehicle, now within seconds of barreling off the tower.

“I don’t know what he’s plannin’,” Sonic replied, watching as Eggman drove off the building, “but it _can’t_ be good.” He placed a gloved hand on Amy’s shoulder. “You mind taking Cream to safety?”

“Sure thing,” Amy replied, but just as she was walking over to the young bunny, the floor beneath them shook once more. The party didn’t have to wait long for the cause; Eggman’s new mech, with his Egg Mobile secured at the top, crawled up the side of the building, lunging up and crashing to the roof below, generating one final blast, which nearly brought the heroes to their knees.

“No time to waste.” Sonic gave Amy a thumbs up, which she returned in-kind before running to Cream and Cheese, who were huddled behind the orange kitsune.

“C’mon, it’s time to go. Mind giving me a lift?”

“Not at all, Miss Amy.” Cream nodded as Cheese landed in her arms. The brave bunny hopped up and flapped her ears, floating several feet from the ground. Grabbing hold of Cream’s legs, Amy gave a nod from below before Cream jumped off the tower and flew away. Amy pointed to the hills where the gang previously strategized, and Cream changed her trajectory accordingly.

Eyeing the two, Rouge spun around and retracted her wings.

“Good luck, boys.” Jumping off the building, she flew to the girls, waving at Cream as they fled in tandem.

_Once the fight’s over, I’ll sneak on back and claim the emeralds for myself._

“What’s so funny, Miss Rouge?” Cream asked, noticing the jewel thief’s laughter.

“Oh, nothing.” She faced forward, smirking as they made their way to safety.

“Now that the girls are safe,” Sonic declared, cracking his knuckles as he casually strolled over to the mech, “we no longer have to hold back. This’ll be a piece o’ cake.”

“Oh, is that so?” Eggman jeered from above. “Then prepare for a rude awakening!” The mech ripped the cylindrical machine from the floor and inserted it into a port on its chest. The machine began to spark, glowing brilliant rainbow colors, its center so bright the party couldn’t stare at it directly, instead focusing on the doctor above.

“Quick!” Knuckles cried. “We gotta stop him before it’s too late!” The red echidna charged forward, swinging his arm back for a brutal punch. Just as his fist was about to make contact, however, it froze, an invisible force stopping him before launching him back and sending him flying through the air.

“Knuckles!” Sonic and Tails yelled as they watched him blast off toward the hills, narrowly whizzing by a startled Cream and Amy.

“That was _too_ easy!” Eggman jeered. “I didn’t even have to a move a muscle, and Knuckles is _already_ out of the fight! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“Damn you…Eggman…” Sonic gritted his teeth as he balled his hands into fists, his arms shaking with anger. Brow furrowed, the blue hedgehog stepped forward.

“Oh, _you’re_ approaching _me_?” Eggman laughed once more, fueled with a renewed sense of confidence, victory finally within his grasp.

“But of course,” a small grin appeared over Sonic’s face, “how can I kick your butt from back here?”

“Oh really?” Eggman sneered as laser gun muzzles extended from within the mech’s outer shell. “Then get a load of this!” With a press of a button, multiple laser blasts missed their intended target. “What?” Eggman looked around before hearing a tap from the transparent top of his mounted Egg Mobile. He gasped as he found the blue hedgehog grinning from above. “Why you! This is the _last_ time you’ll make a _fool_ out of me!”

“Oh yeah?” Sonic jumped up and rolled into his spherical form, but as he was about to collide with the cockpit of the mech, the blue hedgehog was stopped, hovering briefly before getting hurled up into the sky, completely unfurled. With a vertical jump of its own, the mech met Sonic at his apex, clasped its hands together, raised its arms, and slapped Sonic down like a professional volleyball player.

“Sonic!” Tails watched in horror as his big brother smashed through the roof, tearing through several floors before eventually coming to a stop. Crawling on his knees, Tails frantically peered down to find Sonic’s body below. “Sonic! Are you okay?” As if answering his call, the blue hedgehog slowly opened his eyes and pulled himself up.

“Y-yeah, jus’…gimme a sec…” Brushing the debris off his fur, Sonic launched himself up, jumping between floors and returning to the roof just as Eggman landed nearby.

“That’s just a small _taste_ of the strength I now wield thanks to the power of the Chaos Emeralds!” Eggman grinned as he stroked his orange moustache. “So, ready to give up?”

“Not even close.” Sonic was about to charge a spindash when he was stopped by the gentle hand of his little brother at his side.

“Sonic, we need to think _strategically_ on this one.” Tails pointed up at the chaos-powered mech above.

“Have somethin’ in mind?” the blue hedgehog asked with a grin.

“The mech doesn’t seem to react when it’s not being threatened. You only got pushed away after you punched it, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right!” Sonic snapped his fingers.

“Perfect.” Tails furrowed his brow as he analyzed the cockpit above. “I need you to create a distraction while I highjack the mech from behind.”

“That is, if I don’t destroy it first!” Sonic gave Tails a wink, the latter responding with a chuckle.

“Just in case, though,” Tails replied, fluttering his namesakes, “I’ll be your backup!”

“Right on!” The two exchanged a fist bump before going their separate ways, with Tails flying to the side as Sonic made circles around the mech’s feet. “C’mon Egghead, step it up!”

“How foolish! I can squash you like a bug right now.”

“Oh yeah,” Sonic taunted, “try it.”

“Very well.” The mech lifted its knee before slamming its foot down in a blur, its speed greatly enhanced by the mystical gems. “Bullseye!” Eggman exclaimed. “Now who’s the ‘fastest thing alive’? Wooahhooohooho—" Robotnik froze as his mech began to tip.

Down below, Sonic was pushing the mech’s foot away, clenching his teeth as his arms began to buckle under the pressure.

“What? I can’t _believe_ this!” Eggman barked.

“Almost…there…yeaaaaarrrrghhh!” With a yell, Sonic pushed the mech off balance, forcing it to step back several paces, coming within yards of falling off the building. Using its arms for balance, the scales were further tipped as Sonic approached the one stable leg and gently tapped it, just enough to send the mech careening to the ground below.

“You did it!” Tails exclaimed from the air. “You really, really did it!”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Sonic asked with a grin, itching the base of his nose before a random jolt of pain shot up his arm, the fight’s adrenaline beginning to wear off. 

“Sonic!” Tails landed just as his older brother fell to one knee, gripping his arm. “You’re hurt.”

“Must’ve been…that stomp,” Sonic chuckled, “or maybe when I went through the roof?”

“You need medical attention.” Tails stuck his arms out, signaling his intent to pick him up. With a sigh, Sonic complied, allowing his younger brother to pull him up and cradle him against his chest. “I’ll gather the emeralds from the wreckage, and then we can get you trea—” Tails froze as the floor shook from below. “Oh no, not again!”

As if on cue, Eggman arose once more, climbing up the tower and planting the mech’s feet within meters of the heroic duo.

“Do you _honestly_ think your _childish_ shenanigans will do any good against the power of my Egg Mech 10,000?”

“Egg…Mech 10,000?” Sonic coughed as he shimmied from Tails’ hold, clasping his bad arm as he approached the mech. “Maybe you’d…sound more…intimidating if…you hired a…writer.”

“Oh, can it, hedgehog!” Eggman slammed his fists against his dashboard. “I only just came up with it! It’s still in need of refinement, and besides…” The mech’s hand swiftly grabbed Sonic, who was unable to escape its speed in his weakened state. “…you won’t be around for the final draft anyway.” The mech squeezed, making Sonic scream.

“N-now, T-tails…” was all the blue hedgehog was able to say before the pressure intensified. In a panic, Tails flew up to his older brother, trying to pry the large, metallic fingers open. “W-what…are you…doing?” Tails didn’t listen to him, tears pouring down his face as he pressed his sneakers again the mech’s fist, pulling with all his might. “S-stick to…the…pla—”

“Know your place, hedgehog! When I tell you to shut up, you shut up!” The mech’s deadly grip clamped down even harder, forcing out another agonizing scream. Sonic felt as if his eyeballs were about to pop out of his head. “And you,” Eggman turned his attention to the orange kitsune, “don’t get in my way!” With its free hand, the mech flicked away the orange kitsune, who plummeted to the roof below.

“O-owww…” Tails slowly pulled himself up, thankfully uninjured from the relatively weak attack. He watched helplessly as his older brother’s life was squeezed from him, even as his tears obscured his vision. Tightening his hands into fists, his arms shook as he helplessly watched the scene from below.

“Sonic…I failed you.”

“It’s all my fault…if only I just followed the plan.”

“And now you’re gonna die…because of me.”

_W-what…are you…doing?_

Tails dried his tears as he allowed his mind to recall Sonic’s last words.

_S-stick to…the…_

“…plan.” Tails furrowed his brow and clenched his fists once more, a glimmer of hope sparking within. “If I can highjack the mech, I may be able to save you yet.” Spinning his rotary namesakes, the orange kitsune took off, flying between the mech’s legs and closely rising up its back.

_I’m…almost…there…_

Reaching the glass dome protecting Eggman from the outside world, Tails studied the back of Eggman’s bald head. The rotund doctor within was far too distracted with torturing the blue blur to detect his presence.

_The mech’s also preoccupied, so this should be safe…I hope._

Tails gulped as he spun around and reversed, his rotary appendages slowly approaching the Egg Mobile’s shell. With a crash, the dome cracked apart as it collided with the kitsune’s deadly tails, shards of glass flying in all directions.

“What the h—” Eggman barely had the opportunity to spin around before receiving a punch to the face by the young fox, anger overtaking him.

“Ouch! What was _that_ for, little brat?!” Eggman massaged his bruised cheek with his palm as he eyed the two-tailed assailant.

“You deserve _much_ more for everything you’ve done…” Crawling on Eggman’s lap, Tails delivered another set of blows to his face before he was shoved forward and kicked in the belly, sending him backward out of the small cockpit and off the mech. The forceful blow knocked the wind out of him, subsequently preventing him from using his namesakes to prevent a crash landing.

“All right, Egg Mech, new plan!” Eggman barked as he applied an icepack on his swollen cheek. “Forget about Sonic for now! Let’s finish Tails off first.” The mech loosened its grip on Sonic. The blue hedgehog plummeted to the roof within feet of his brother, both of them profoundly battle-worn.

“W-well…b-buddy…” Sonic turned his head to face his younger brother, his signature smile, albeit weak, still present. “I gu-guess this it…huh? We…had a g-good run…” Far more injured than the orange kitsune, the blue hedgehog had reached his limit.

“No…” Tails pulled himself up, tears filling his eyes once more. “Not if I have anything to say about it!”

“T-Tails…” Sonic struggled to pull himself up, but he fell back, far too exhausted and broken to stand.

“It’s time we put an end to this once and for all!” With a bout of maniacal laughter, Eggman pressed a series of buttons on his dashboard, activating the mech’s special attack. Bending its artificial legs, the Egg Mech drew its arms to one side of its body and cupped its hand. The mech’s chest shone a brilliant shade of yellow as a stream of energy poured from the seven Chaos Emeralds to the robot’s hands, building a multicolored sphere of energy around its fingers.

“We gotta move!” Summoning as much strength as he could muster, Tails grabbed Sonic from the ground and cradled him against his chest before running across the roof, preparing his rotary namesakes. “You ready, Sonic?”

“Y-yeah…” Sonic struggled to say. “You…can…do…it…” The blue hedgehog closed his eyes as the orange kitsune jumped off the edge of the building, just enough energy remaining for him to glide down.

“Blast away!” Eggman barked with a finger pointed forward. The mech obeyed, thrusting its arms forward as the beam of pure chaos energy launched from its palms, slicing through the roof of the building at an angle, barely missing the heroic duo.

Tails felt the falling debris pelt his head, shoulders, and arms. Peering back, he witnessed Eggman’s base crumble before his eyes, the energy attack all but decimating the side of the building, and, potentially, Sonic and Tails with it.

As the larger pieces of the building slid and fell, chunks of sheetrock and metal tangled in Tail’s namesakes, preventing him from dropping safely. He tightened his grip on his wounded brother, pressing him even harder to his chest as he braced himself.

“Hang on!” The two were in a total freefall, and all Tails could do was soften the blow for his brother.

Twisting himself around, Tails helplessly watched the debris that rained above, below, and all around them before closing his eyes and securing his grip on the blue hedgehog.

“Goodbye…Sonic.”

And all went black.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the first part of the finale! I had to split the final chapter into two parts because it got _way_ too long, and I wanted to make sure that I got the ending _just right_. That being said, because much of the second part is already written, I’ll prioritize finishing this before starting the next chapter of ** [ **_Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs_ ** ](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13688866/1/Tails-and-the-Abandoned-Fox-Cubs) **, so stay tuned!**

 **A special thanks to the r/MilesPrower** [ **Discord server** ](https://discord.gg/SRycb9p) **for providing invaluable advice as I was drafting this chapter, especially** [ **Noonui** ](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/14087257/Noonui) **,** [ **TheGameNguyener** ](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8568454/TheGameNguyener) **,** [ **Leodragon678** ](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/11029183/Leodragon678) **, and Hacker001!**


	21. What I'm Made Of (Part 2)

**Chapter 21: What I’m Made Of (Part 2)**

_Tails!_

_Sonic!_

_We’re gonna get you out!_

Tails opened his eyes, his body completely submerged in a heap of sheetrock and metal. Peering down, he found the blue hedgehog unconscious, but still breathing, against his chest.

“I…did it.” Tails chuckled to himself as he coughed dust out of his lungs. “I…did it…Sonic. You’re… _alive_.”

_Is that you, Tails?!_

“I’m…sorry…for messing…things up…” The young fox tightened his grip around his older brother as tears poured down his face. “People say…you’re…reckless…but I guess…they don’t…know me…”

_Hang in there, Tails! We’ve almost got you!_

“None of that…matters now…though…” The prodigious kitsune sighed, trying to block out the immeasurable pain stabbing up his back and down his arms and legs. “…because…we’re alive… _you’re_ …alive. That’s…all…that…matters…”

With a final punch from the red echidna and a swipe from the pink hedgehog’s Piko Piko Hammer, Knuckles and Amy uncovered Tails’ body in the pile of rubble, still clutching Sonic to his chest while he muttered to himself.

Amy knelt down and gently placed her hands around Sonic’s injured body, but as she attempted to pull him away, Tails tightened his grip.

“No…I’ll…protect you…Sonic…”

“Tails…” Amy sighed before turning to the red echidna. “Can you lift them both up?” Without question, Knuckles wedged his hands below the orange kitsune, lifting him and the blue hedgehog before sliding down the rubble pile and setting them down gently.

“What do you think, Amy?” Knuckles asked as Amy met him at the base of the heap. The injured kitsune pulled his knees toward his belly, securing Sonic in place before wrapping his namesakes around himself, forming a protective, furry cocoon.

“Not well.” Amy looked up at the sky. “We should move. Eggman will be here any minu—” She was cut off by the sound of clanking feet approaching the heroes. Knuckles and Amy stepped back as the Egg Pawns got closer. It became abundantly clear, though, that the robots’ target wasn’t Amy or Knuckles; their primary objective was to destroy Sonic.

Peering at the robots through his namesake shell, the young fox retracted his tails and, for the first time since jumping off the tower, loosened his grip on the blue hedgehog, setting him down on the ground before forcing himself up, hardly able to stand.

“Tails, what are you doing?” Amy asked as she swung her hammer at a nearby Egg Pawn, destroying it upon impact. “You need to run away!”

“She’s right!” Knuckles added, punching a row of robots, causing them to fall like dominoes. “You’ll get yourself killed!”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What?” Knuckles and Amy asked, turning to face the young kitsune in astonishment. Tails didn’t respond, instead clasping his legs together and spreading out his arms in a T-pose, serving as the only barrier between the hostile robots and the injured hedgehog. 

“You can’t be serious!” Knuckles exclaimed.

He approached the fox but was stopped by a spear-toting pawn. Catching the spear’s handle before it could make impact, Knuckles snapped it in half with his knee before destroying the robot with a single punch to the face and lunging at the next set of oncoming machines. Amy was also indisposed, swiping away approaching Egg Pawns with her hammer, unable to come to the orange fox’s aid. 

“…Tails?” Sonic slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurred but just clear enough to see his brother protecting him from above. “Don’t…do this…run…away…” He slowly pulled himself up before collapsing against Tails’ back, his good arm draped over one shoulder as his forehead rested against the other.

“No…” Tails peered back at the blue hedgehog from the corner of his eye before returning his gaze to the approaching pawns. “Allow me…to atone.” 

“Tails…no…” Sonic coughed, struggling to find the energy to speak. “This…is _suicide_.”

“Then so be it…” Tails sighed. “You still have a chance. I’ve always…been a liability. At least with me gone…you can finally…stop Eggman.”

The nearest Egg Pawn steadied the laser pistol in its mechanical hand.

“Tails, no!” Finding a hidden reserve of energy within, Sonic grabbed the orange kitsune with his good arm, pulled him across his shoulder, and ran in the opposite direction. 

“S…Sonic?” Tails was in a daze.

“Don’t worry…lil’ guy...” Sonic turned his head and gave his younger brother a reassuring smile. “Everything’ll…be…all…ri—”

A single laser blast was all it took to stop Sonic dead in his tracks. He fell over, sending Tails careening to the ground alongside him. 

“…Sonic?” Tails crawled to his big brother, who lay still, gasping for breath. His gloved hand covered the hole through his lower torso, a shot which barely missed the young fox. “Stay with me, Sonic!”

“Tails…run…”

“No!” Checking closer, Tails found a trickle of blood escaping Sonic’s gloved hand, dripping to the ground below.

Anger overtook him; furrowing his brow, and pulling himself up, he eyed the oncoming barrage of Eggman’s mechanical slaves.

“I’m gonna beat every last one of these robots and defeat Eggman myself! No more running…I’ll show ‘em…right, Sonic?”

No response.

“Sonic?” Kneeling down once more, Sonic’s eyes were closed. Before he could check for a pulse, or any other signs of life, however, a laser blast zipped past his head, barely missing his triangular ears. “Damn it!” Rolling to his side, he lunged forward and punched the pawn, which toppled back over other nearby robots.

“WHO ELSE WANTS A PIECE OF ME!?” Tails cried as he roundhouse kicked another bot to his side, stealing its spear before launching it back. Spinning the weapon in his hands, he swiped away a new wave of bots before lunging forward with a cry, skewering three more bots and pushing them away before they exploded.

“IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT!? HUH!?” Tails bent his legs once more, his arms raised with clenched fists and fluttering namesakes from behind. His body was sprayed with machine oil. At a glance, the young kitsune was hardly distinguishable. “BRING IT!”

An approaching Egg Pawn aimed its pistol at the fox. Diving forward, dodging its laser blast, Tails landed several punches against the robot’s torso, sending it back while dropping its gun. Catching it in the air, the prodigious kitsune ran forward, landing near-perfect shots to the face of each of his foes, the artificial soldiers pilling up around him. Hearing another spear-wielding bot approaching him from behind, Tails elbowed it in the face before twisting around, landing several laser shots in its chest, and kicking it away. Approaching the incapacitated robot, the orange fox placed his foot on its torso before continuously shooting it in the face, gritting his teeth in rage.

Having exhausted all the pistol’s energy, and after a few empty clicks of the trigger, Tails threw the gun to the side before slamming his fists against the incapacitated mechanical soldier, tears trickling from his eyes once more.

Assessing the damage, all the bots in the immediate vicinity were decimated by the angry kitsune, save for the few that were kept preoccupied by the pink hedgehog and red echidna. Taking a few moments to collect himself, his eyes shot open as he remembered the injured blue hedgehog. Running back to where he lay, he found his older brother motionless, his hand still covering the wound.

“S…Sonic?” Tails placed a triangular ear against his chest, feeling Sonic’s faint heartbeat within.

Before he could cry tears of joy, however, he heard what sounded like a rocket engine approaching the brotherly duo from the peak of what remained of Eggman’s base. Pulling himself to his feet once more, Tails created a barrier between the damaged hedgehog and the Egg Mech 10,000, which landed within a few dozen yards.

“I see _you’re_ still alive and kicking!” Eggman bellowed from above. “But no matter…we’ll put a stop to that right…about… _now_. Wooahhooohoohooo!” Stepping forward, Eggman hovered the mech’s foot over the injured fox, who dove over the downed hedgehog, protecting him as a parent would their cubs.

“Prepare to die together, Sonic and Tails!” Just as the mech’s sole was about to crush them, however, the war machine froze. “W-what?!” Eggman peered down at the mech’s torso from above. “What the hell?” He found a familiar creation prying the Chaos Emeralds out from the cylindrical energy amplifier affixed to the robot’s chest.

“B-Bokkun! What are you doing?”

“Putting an end to all this!” As the messenger robot yanked out each gem, he threw them over his shoulder, and they landed near the orange kitsune. One by one, the seven mystical gems, either by coincidence or fate, encircled the fox and the downed hedgehog, and they started to glow.

“The emeralds…” Tails stammered. “…they’re…reacting?” The fox pulled himself up and peered down at his older brother, who was still unconscious below him. “…but…why?”

_Tails._

Within the blink of an eye, Tails’ environment changed. No longer could he feel the crisp, morning air against his fur, the blue hedgehog was no longer underneath him, and the artificial ground, robot shrapnel, and everything in between were gone, replaced with an empty, white void. As he observed the infinite expanse of nothingness surrounding him, a shadowy silhouette approached with gentle steps.

“It’s… _you_ …from my dreams?”

The mysterious, dark façade veiling the figure dissolved and was replaced by a young, feminine echidna, garbed in a green skirt with triangular shapes, a white tank top, a golden band across her forehead with a matching necklace, and wooden sandals.

_“The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power…power enriched by the heart.”_

“W-what…do you…mean?” Tails stumbled forward, still exhausted from the fight. 

_“The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos.”_

“I need to get back,” Tails fell over within feet of the mystical echidna, “my friends…are in danger…and I need…to help them.”

“And you _are_ helping them.” The echidna smiled as the seven Chaos Emeralds materialized, circling the young fox and approaching closer. “Use the Chaos Emeralds to bring peace. Unlock their powers and use them for good.” The girl knelt down, the kitsune watching her with wonder as he pulled himself to his knees as well, now at eye-level. She clasped her hands with his and squeezed tightly. “Without your help, the world will be in danger once more. Chaos will wreak havoc, destroying your world as it did mine.”

“Eggman…” Looking into the echidna’s eyes, he furrowed his brow and pulled himself and the mysterious girl to their feet. “I’ll do it.”

“Then use the Chaos Emeralds to restore peace.” With a smile, she approached the orange kitsune for a hug, placing her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I will.”

With a blink, Tails was back on the battlefield. He was standing over the unconscious hedgehog, the Chaos Emeralds spinning around him as they slowly approached. He watched in wonder as the mystical gems seemed to dissolve into his torso. He nearly screamed as his fur started to glow a magnificent gold, a bright aura cloaking him as his locks of unkept hair shot up, wind seemingly generating from the kitsune’s enhanced form, producing a _whooshing_ sound that drowned out all other noise. 

Closing his eyes, the two-tailed fox began to levitate, his namesakes raised upright but not spinning. He could feel the immense power of the Chaos Emeralds radiating through him, and he watched in amazement as his injuries healed themselves before his eyes. What weariness he felt was now gone, replaced with a renewed sense of energy and determination. 

Tails didn’t know how he was able to control this form so well. It was like it came to him naturally, as if the mystical gems bestowed upon him both the knowledge and experience required to utilize their power. It was for this reason that, with the snap of his fingers, he was able to call upon six golden flickies who flocked to him from the nearby forest, awaiting his command. With a simple nod from their master, the flickies dove to the ground, buried themselves under the unconscious hedgehog, and, through a feat only possible through the power of the Chaos Emeralds, slowly raised Sonic up to meet him.

Closing his eyes, Tails placed his palms on Sonic’s chest. A blinding aura radiated from his hands, covering Sonic in a mystical veil and raining sparkling chaos energy over his body. As with the prodigious fox, the blue hedgehog’s wounds, scrapes, and injuries healed, and the laser blast hole in his lower belly was now gone, as if it never existed.

Sonic slowly opened his eyes to find the golden kitsune by his side.

“T-Tails? Is that…you?”

“Shhhh…” Tails placed two fingers against his lips. “You’ll be okay. Let me take care of things from here.”

“O-okay.” Sonic placed a palm on Tails’ hand still resting on his torso. “You got this… _hero_.” With a smile, the blue hedgehog closed his eyes once more, his arms dangling from his sides as he entered a well-deserved slumber. The golden flickies returned the sleeping hedgehog to the ground below.

“I won’t let you down, Sonic.” Clenching his fists, he turned to face the Egg Mech, which backed up as he floated closer.

“Wait!” Eggman shouted from the cockpit. “What are you doing?”

With a smirk, Tails fluttered his glowing namesakes from behind as he launched himself forward, his arms outstretched like a superhero as he pierced the mech through its center, leaving a fox-sized hole in his wake.

“Gahhh! What did you _do_?!” Robotnik cried, clutching his bald head with either hand in a combination of shock and worry. 

Ignoring the words of the evil doctor, Tails spun around and cut through the mech in several different directions like a hot knife. Dropping to the ground, Tails took the delayed explosion head on, the mech’s components evaporating upon impacting his golden aura. As the mech’s body smoldered, leaving only the energy amplifier unharmed in its center, Eggman flew away in his now-detached Egg Mobile.

Tails placed two fingers against his forehead and closed his eyes, focusing intently. Using the instincts instilled in him by the Chaos Emeralds, he vanished, instantaneously teleporting directly beneath the Egg Mobile, placing his palms underneath and gripping his gloved fingers against its sleek metallic underside. Eggman screamed as Tails pulled his arms back and hurled the flying vehicle to the ground below, the evil doctor launching out upon impact.

Tails slowly dropped to the artificial surface as Eggman crawled backward, nearing the smoldering heap of metal that was formerly his unstoppable mech. Returning to the ground, Tails gradually approached the rotund doctor with fists clenched, his feet clicking against the ground menacingly. 

“Now Tails…let’s be reasonable here.” Eggman put his hands up. “I’m sure we can sort out this little…misunderstanding.”

Tails scoffed as he raised a single fist.

“No, don’t do it, I beg of you!” Eggman pleaded as he clasped his hands together. “I’ve changed, _changed_ I tell you!”

The fox clenched his teeth, focusing on the evil mastermind within his grasp. A few punches would be all it would take to finish him for good. For all the suffering and pain he inflicted on the planet and its inhabitants, he deserved far greater than death, but the abject fear emanating from Eggman’s face brought a sense of humanity back to the glowing kitsune.

Wincing, his arm began to waver. With a shriek, he slammed his fist down, hitting the artificial ground centimeters from Eggman’s head and denting it. He remained frozen, sweat dripping from his brow as he wrestled with his decision. Finally, with a deep breath, Tails pulled himself up and reverted to his normal state, the golden aura around him disappearing.

“The courts will decide your fate, Eggman.” Spitting to the side in disgust, he walked away to check on his older brother as the mystical gems left his body and slowly spun around him, preparing to scatter across Mobius once more.

“Aha, you fool!” Eggman bellowed, pulling out a suction gun in the shape of a wide rife from his jacket. “You left your super form a little too soon!” He aimed at the orange kitsune and pulled the trigger, sucking up the Chaos Emeralds like a high-powered vacuum. Turning around, he flipped a switch on the device before pulling the trigger once more, depositing the gems back into their designated slots in the energy amplifier. Tails stood in shock as the rotund doctor faced him once more, dropped the gun, and pulled a remote from his jacket.

“Here’s how things will go down: you either turn over Sonic and let me go, or else I blow us all up! Wooahhooohoohooo!” Tails stepped forward, ignoring the doctor’s threat. 

“I’m serious!” Eggman yelled. “A few more steps, and I’ll press this button!”

“You made one fatal error, _Egghead_.” With a grin, Tails slowly strolled over to the rotund doctor as he cracked his knuckles.

“Did you not hear me?” Eggman began to flounder, his legs shaking from beneath as he loosened his grip on the remote.

“Loud and clear, but you’re full of it.” Tails scoffed as he stepped closer. “Your ego is much too large to go out like this. You’d rather trample over our graves than join us underground.” The young kitsune stopped, clasping his hands behind his back as a single namesake twisted itself around, its ambidextrous tip wrapping around the remote and plucking it from Robotnik’s palm. “Those emeralds are useless to you now…unless you could go _Super Eggman_.” Tails chuckled at the mental image as he brought his wrist to his face, activating his communicator.

“Amy? Knuckles? Eggman has been defeated, and Sonic’s okay, too. I need your help securing Eggma—” Tails was cut off, gasping as he felt a small set of hands rip the remote from his namesakes. Spinning around, he found Bokkun staring blankly at the device, with Decoe and Bocoe accompanying him on either side.

“Just do it, Bokkun!” Decoe pressed.

“We can destroy them right here and now!” Bocoe added.

“Bokkun, don’t!” Tails stepped forward as he extended his hand. “We don’t know _what_ will happen if you press that button!”

“Certainly better than our master going to jail!” Decoe retorted.

“I’d rather be dead!” Bocoe added. Eggman nervously stepped away from the amplifier.

Bokkun faltered, his hands starting to sweat and shake, causing the remote to rock in his palms.

“Bokkun…”

“Huh?” Looking forward, the small robot froze at the sight of Cream the Rabbit slowly approaching him. “C-Cream?”

“Hello…Bokkun.” She smiled as she made her way closer to the small robot. “Just hand me the device, and we can all go celebrate at home. You can finally try some of momma’s apple pie!”

“Apple…pie?” Sweat dripped from Bokkun’s face as his fought the internal conflict between his master’s programming and his desire for a stable family life. As Knuckles and Amy found their way to Cream’s side, the messenger robot stepped back. 

“I…ummm…but my master…”

“But nothing!” Cream yelled. “I know it’s hard, but we’ll get you fixed up, and then we can spend the rest of our lives together!”

“The…rest of…our lives… _together_?”

“Yes.” Cream reached her palm out. “Just hand me the remote, and this will _all_ be over.”

“I…can’t…” His finger slowly inched closer to the red button.

“Please, Bokkun!” Cream yelled, tears forming her eyes. “You don’t have to do this!”

“I’m…sorry…” Squeezing his eyes shut as tears poured down his face, Bokkun pressed the large, circular, red button with a trembling thumb.

“Bokkun…” Cream fell to her knees in disbelief, paying no attention to the revving sound building up within the energy amplifier, only yelping as Rouge swooped down from above, grabbing her from behind and holding her against her torso.

“Everyone!” Rouge yelled from the sky. “We need to get out of here, now!”

“Right.” Nodding his head, Tails grabbed Sonic, cradling him against his chest once more. Rotating his namesakes, the orange kitsune took flight, making his way for the hills overlooking the base’s perimeter, followed by Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, and Cream. The distressed Bokkun, his two older brothers, and the rotund doctor were left behind.

“Bokkun, you idiot!” Eggman grabbed the small robot from the ground, raised him to eye level, and shook him in anger. “That was just a _bluff_! Why would I blow myself up, you buffoo—” Eggman stopped as he noticed a bright white light start to grow within the amplifier, extending outward like a slow-motion explosion. 

“Behind the hill!” Tails shouted as they crossed the fence. Landing safely on the other side, and scurrying up the incline, the party peered at the energy amplifier from the hill’s apex, gasping as a white void of nothingness extended from the Chaos Emeralds, enveloping Eggman and his minions and slowly approaching the heroes. 

“What _is_ that?” Tails questioned in wonder. “It isn’t an explosion.” His body trembled as the void crossed the gated threshold of Eggman’s compound. 

“Chaos Control,” Knuckles replied, standing up and crossing his arms, closing his eyes as he accepted the inevitable outcome. “There’s no way we can stop it now. Our fate is now bound to the will of the Chaos Emeralds.”

Pulling himself up, Tails peered down at the blue hedgehog sleeping peacefully in his arms. He smiled before returning his attention to the incoming white void, now within a few dozen yards. 

“I’m…scared…” Cream clutched Cheese in her arms as she watched the void with teary eyes. Amy hugged her from behind, providing what little support she could.

“Well, Sonic,” Tails said, looking down at his sleeping older brother once more with a smile, “ready for another adventure?”

Taking their final breaths, the party stood still as they were engulfed by the void, allowing the mystical gems to decide their fate.

And all went white.

* * *

**Epilogue:**

_Tap Tap._

_Tap Tap._

_Tippy Tap. Tap._

_Tap._

Awoken from her sleep, a young human girl slowly pulled herself up. Reaching over to turn on the bedside lamp, she yawned into her palm before rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Peering around her small first-floor bedroom, she was unable to locate the cause of the ruckus. 

_Tap. Tap._

_Tippy. Tap. Tap._

“There it is again.” Helen said to herself. “Sounds like it’s coming from the window.” With another yawn, the human girl positioned her waist so she could safely transfer from the bed to her wheelchair with the force of her arms. Straightening her back against the seat, running a hand through her blond hair, and dusting off her night gown, she rolled herself to the window. Pulling open the blinds, she gasped at a peculiar sight above:

A biplane resting in the backyard oak tree.

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Raising a hand to her chin in thought, she studied the aircraft nestled in the tree, secured in place by its thick branches. “I hope the pilot didn’t get hurt…”

_Tippy Tippy Tippy Tap._

“Huh?” Helen peered down to find the even stranger sight of an anthropomorphic, two-tailed fox tapping against the window from the other side, their tails spinning like helicopter propellers to keep them afloat. Meeting her gaze, the alien fox floated higher, now within eye-level.

“Hi!” they cheerily greeted as they smiled at the human girl while waving their gloved hand. 

Helen fainted in shock, her back slouched against her seat.

“…Hello?” Tapping the window a few more times, the flying fox tried waking her up, but to no avail.

“Darn it.”

**Fin**

* * *

**Afterward:**

**If someone were to have told me a year ago that I would be getting back into fanfiction after a decade-long hiatus _and_ go on to complete an over 100,000-word longfic, I would have laughed in their face…but here we are. What started as a nostalgic trip, reading some old fanfics I remembered from my childhood (more on that later), ended with the completion of a novel-sized story based on a franchise I’ve adored since childhood. **

**Since starting this story in May, 2020, I’ve gotten to know many of you, whether they be through FFN direct messages or through[the Tails-centric Discord server](https://discord.gg/SRycb9p) I began managing last summer. Your encouraging reviews, and our numerous, in-depth conversations, definitely provided the fuel to help keep me going for all these months. **

**I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you for leaving me feedback, whether it be positive or constructive, however, I wanted to give a special shoutout to the following users, in no particular order:**

  * **[TheGameNguyener](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8568454/TheGameNguyener): You’ve been reading my fic since the very beginning, providing your reactions to the various scenarios the characters were put through, offering your positive feedback, and expressing your excitement for future installments. I appreciate all the time you spent reviewing my chapters, and I look forward to eventually checking out _[Revengeful Resistance](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12828559/1/Revengeful-Resistance)_! **
  * **[Stardown](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/9588070/Stardown): I appreciate all of your thorough reviews and your encouraging commentary! I’m also flattered that you listed me as a favorite author and designated _Prelude_ as your “fluffiest Sonic X story” on your FFN profile! I look forward to reading _Chaos on Earth_ , and I greatly enjoyed _[Evil Cosmo Arises: A Sonic X Story](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13779889/1/Evil-Cosmo-Arises-A-Sonic-X-Story)_. **
  * **[Noonui](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/14087257/Noonui): You have the nicest and heartfelt feedback, both in your reviews and in the r/MilesPrower Discord server! Thanks for reading and offering your thoughts, and I’ve greatly enjoyed your most recent fluffy oneshots! I look forward to checking out some of your longer works in the future. P.S. – Stay wholesome! :D**
  * **[Leodragon678](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/11029183/Leodragon678): You’ve been reading my story since its inception, and I’m eternally grateful! Your positive feedback helped provide the initial encouragement for me to continue writing this long story, and I’ve enjoyed our many conversations, especially on the r/MilesPrower Discord server. You’re an absolutely phenomenal writer, one whose works literally brought me to tears (ehem, _[Mind Visions](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13016017/1/Mind-Visions)_ …), and I wish you all the best on your mission trip! **
  * **[Mulberri](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/13531509/mulberri): Thanks for your positive feedback and your helpful drawing advice over on the r/MilesPrower Discord server! You’re a talented writer in your own right, and I wish you the best as you continue your high school journey, especially in these unprecedented times. I know you’ll succeed at whatever endeavors you undertake. P.S. – Stay wholesome!! :D**
  * **[TheOtakuKhajiit/Irritable Fabulamancer](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/14140388/Irritable-Fabulamancer): I’ve enjoyed our many, numerous writing conversations over on the r/MilesPrower Discord server! When I first joined the server, I posted my fic not really expecting anyone to care, so I was surprised to see that you were already a fan! I look forward to reading your thoughts on the final chapter, and I’m excited to read your updates to _[Dumpster Kid](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13746508/1/Dumpster-Kid)_ , among your other ongoing fics! **
  * **[Gapsule](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/13331768/GapsuleRuleroftheBattery): You’ve been a loyal reader and reviewer since the early days of this story, and I greatly appreciate your positive feedback! You’ve certainly grown as a writer, and I look forward to hearing about your future endeavors! :D**



**In addition, I have two more super-duper special shoutouts below:**

**[Tailsisreal](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1666219/Tailsisreal) – When I was but a youngling in high school back in the early 2010s, I stumbled across your stories and was instantly enamored! Fics such as _[Lethal Mutation](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4482916/1/Lethal-Mutation-A-Tails-Fanfic)_ and _[Repeated Mistakes](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4632006/1/Repeated-Mistakes) _resonated with me so much as a teenager that they were among some of the only ones I remembered a decade later. It was a blast re-reading your works when nostalgia led me back to your profile, and I was pleasantly surprised that you were actively posting a rewrite to LM and finishing RM all these years later. I also appreciate the helpful feedback you provided as I was thinking about writing _Prelude_ , and the critical reviews you provided to my first several chapters were super helpful and positively influenced the later chapters. **

**Thank you, Tailsisreal, for inspiring me to try my hand at writing after my decade-long hiatus. I’m confident in saying that, if not for your stories you started in the late 2000s, I wouldn’t have been inspired to write _Prelude_ over 10 years later. **

**Finally, I’d like to thank my spouse for spending hours upon hours reviewing and editing all my chapters! These stories wouldn’t be nearly as good if I didn’t have them as a beta reader. You’re the best! <3 <3**

**Before we conclude, I wanted to provide an update on the direction of my writing now that _Prelude_ is over. As promised, I will be writing a sequel which essentially reimagines the Sonic X anime. Unlike other rewrites, which are much more faithful to the source material, I will be taking the story in several different directions to keep things fresh and make the plot a bit more interesting. As you’ve probably guessed from the epilogue, Tails will still be a strong emphasis (because he is best boi), and Helen will be the primary human protagonist instead of Christopher Thorndyke. That doesn’t mean Chris _won’t_ be present in the story, though…I have some special plans for his character (if you’re on the r/MilesPrower Discord server, you know _exactly_ what I’m talking about…). **

**I’m undecided as to whether I should write a separate story which reimagines season 3 of Sonic X or if I should include it in the upcoming sequel. Either way, my eventual reimagining of the Metarex saga will include a _ton_ of Tailsmo fluff! I even have some ideas cookin’ for a “season 4” based on conversations with fellow Discord server writers and readers. **

**Beyond the Prelude!canon line of stories, I also plan on continuing _[Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13688866/1/Tails-and-the-Abandoned-Fox-Cubs)_ , my other ongoing fic which centers around Tails and Sonic raising some fox babies they found in a dumpster. It is super floofy, and I recommend it if you need something cute and wholesome to keep you sane in these trying times. :D **

**Finally, I have various ideas I may implement as oneshots, but I don’t want to overwhelm myself either. Feel free to subscribe to my[FFN](https://www.fanfiction.net/~andtails) and/or [AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndTails) profiles, or hit me up on Discord, if you’d like updates!**

**My spouse and I are starting the process of purchasing a house, so I may not post as regularly in the interim. Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, I’ll also be returning to the office, as opposed to working from home, so that’ll also bite more into my free time. Nevertheless, I’ll continue finding time to write, as this hobby has certainly grown on me. It has been a fun and fulfilling experience!**

**Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoy my upcoming works as much as you did this one!**

**Sincerely,**

**~AndTails**


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